Conceptualising climate change in rural Australia: community perceptions, attitudes and (in)actions

Buys, Laurie; Miller, Evonne; Megen, Kimberley van

doi:10.1007/s10113-011-0253-6

Cited by 76 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The targeted nature of the scenarios can help to focus the discussion around tangible policy outcomes, which may be more difficult to achieve via semi-structured interviews or regular focus groups. Furthermore, they enable local actors with diverse knowledge and opinions regarding environmental change and its implications (Buys et al 2012) to contribute to a collective process with shared outcomes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using qualitative scenarios to understand regional environmental change in the Canadian North

Wesche

Armitage

2013

Reg Environ Change

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This paper discusses the application of qualitative scenarios to understand community vulnerability and adaptation responses, based on a case study in the Slave River Delta region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Three qualitative, graphic scenarios of possible alternative futures were developed, focusing on two main drivers: climate change and resource development. These were used as a focal point for discussions with a crosssection of residents from the community during focus groups, interviews and a community workshop. Significant overlap among the areas of perceived vulnerability is evident among scenarios, particularly in relation to traditional land use. However, each scenario also offers insights about specific challenges facing community members. Climate change was perceived to engender mostly negative livelihood impacts, whereas resource development was expected to trigger a mix of positive and negative impacts, both of which may be more dramatic than in the ''climate change only'' scenario. The scenarios were also used to identify adaptation options specific to individual drivers of change, as well as more universally applicable options. Identified adaptation options were generally aligned with five sectors-environment and natural resources, economy, community management and development, infrastructure and services, and information and training-which effectively offer a first step towards prioritization of ''no regrets'' measures. From an empirical perspective, while the scenarios highlighted the need for bottom-up measures, they also elucidated discussion about local agency in adaptation and enabled the examination of multi-dimensional impacts on different community subgroups. An incongruity emerged between the suite of technically oriented adaptation options and more socially and behaviourally oriented barriers to implementation. Methodologically, the qualitative scenarios were flexible, socially inclusive and consistent with the Indigenous worldview; allowed the incorporation of different knowledge systems; addressed future community vulnerability and adaptation; and led to the identification of socially feasible and bottom-up adaptation outcomes. Despite some caveats regarding resource requirements for participatory scenario development, qualitative scenarios offer a versatile tool to address a range of vulnerability and adaptation issues in the context of other Indigenous communities.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using qualitative scenarios to understand regional environmental change in the Canadian North

Wesche

Armitage

2013

Reg Environ Change

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“…Yet the same study involved participants who reflected similar perspectives, instead of allowing of diversity of perspectives. Further, studies suggest that there are potential conflicts between adaptation measures (Reyer et al forthcoming) and conflicting views underlying how climate change is conceptualized (Buys et al 2012). Nevertheless, the suggestion that different societal actors prioritize different adaptive responses is not been taken as a starting point for designing adaptive responses, nor is it understood as a potential barrier to adaptive action (Runhaar et al forthcoming).…”

Section: Analytical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptation to extreme weather: identifying different societal perspectives in the Netherlands

et al. 2013

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The intensity and occurrence of extreme weather events are expected to change with climate change. This change necessitates adaptive responses to extreme events, which need to take into account different societal perspectives, in order to be robust. In this paper, we explore the perspectives of different social actors in the Netherlands with respect to extreme weather events and ways to adapt to these events. The paper reports on a set of 41 interviews, using the repertory grid technique. The results were analyzed, to identify (a) the perspectives that stakeholders hold as most important for adaptation to extreme weather events; (b) the determinants of differences in perspectives. We find six different perspectives, all of which prioritize different adaptive actions. Producing robust adaptive responses which include different perspectives is therefore not a straightforward matter and is likely to result in win-lose situations. Further, differences in perspectives were not closely related to different sectors the interviewees belonged to. Thus, the traditional approach of involving different sectors to discuss and produce adaptation measures may be too limiting and needs to be supplemented to involving actors with different perspectives. The level of concern and level of information influenced the ways interviewees perceive adaptation priorities for extreme weather events. Participation in information events does not always result in perceived need to prepare for extreme events, something that adaptation communication needs to take into account.

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“…Research into rural community perceptions and understanding of climate change help improve communication on the scientific discourse of climate change, influence positive behavioural change and better inform policy makers (Buys et al 2012). This sheds light on conceptualisation of climate change in rural forest-based communities of South Africa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualising climate change in forest-based rural areas of South Africa: community perceptions and attitudes

et al. 2016

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SUMMARYThe perceptions of forest-based communities in Vhembe District of South Africa were examined. Special attention in this study was paid to the following aspects of climate change: socio-cultural issues, views and awareness, beliefs with respect to causes, concerns and lifestyle adjustments people are prepared to make in order to adapt. Vegetation type was used as criterion to select Makhado, Mutale and Thulamela Municipalities, which together with Musina constitute Vhembe District. Seven rural communities in each municipality were selected. Using the stratified proportionate random sampling procedure in combination with weighted Enumeration Area (EA) for the selected communities, 366 households were chosen and interviewed. It was found that although awareness of the specific term climate change was poor, most respondents possessed good knowledge of it and associated challenges. Increasing frequencies of erratic rainfall and forest fires were said to be visible manifestations of climate change. There was also a strong concern about the effects of climate change on forests and related products. The respondents expressed the desire to adopt responsible behaviour towards use and management of forests as a climate change intervention strategy. However, most community members were sceptical about the causes of climate change. Taking all these issues into account, there is need for activities that would enlighten the people on the causes and consequences of climate change with respect to their livelihood. This would help promote awareness of climate change and people"s participation in crafting measures that slow down climate change.

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Conceptualising climate change in rural Australia: community perceptions, attitudes and (in)actions

Cited by 76 publications

References 40 publications

Using qualitative scenarios to understand regional environmental change in the Canadian North

Using qualitative scenarios to understand regional environmental change in the Canadian North

Adaptation to extreme weather: identifying different societal perspectives in the Netherlands

Conceptualising climate change in forest-based rural areas of South Africa: community perceptions and attitudes

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