Getting Buy-In for Climate Change Adaptation Through Urban Planning: Climate Change Communication as a Multi-way Process

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the role of communication in building support for climate change adaptation through urban spatial planning. We take Durban in South Africa as our case study, a city with significant vulnerability to climate change which is widely regarded as having successfully implemented climate adaptation initiatives through spatial planning, despite a challenging socioeconomic context. In particular, we aim to assess the role of communication in initiating and sustaining Durban's climate adaptation initiatives, and evaluate wider lessons and challenges for the role of communication in climate change action with reference to social theory on science and environmental governance. We pay particular attention to the role of communication at the personal, institutional and municipal scale in eThekwini Municipality's Municipal Climate Protection Programme, focusing on framing and argumentation around the role the city's open space system plays in attaining ecosystem-based adaptation. Drawing on a narrative literature review and associated content analysis of planning documentation and peer-reviewed literature, we argue that climate adaptation initiatives which carry multiple rationales in addition to the scientific basis for action stand the greatest chance of reaching implementation. We argue this is important because: (a) the complexity of governance structures mean many actors with different priorities and value positions must be engaged to enact policy; and (b) the short-term nature of political attention necessitates rationales that sustain their appeal to a broad range of viewpoints over time. We caution, however, that there is a need for ongoing critical reflection as to the grounds on which the 'success' of a climate adaptation intervention can be claimed, and that care must be taken to ensure a focus on framing and getting buy-in does not deflect attention away from debating the underlying causes of vulnerability.

The climate and ocean risk vulnerability index: Measuring coastal city resilience to inform action

“…First, both pilots highlighted the importance of project buy-in from government and local stakeholders. Stakeholder engagement at the start of a project has been found to increase success and sustainability of climate adaptation projects (Mabon and Shih, 2017). In the pilot studies, while informal project buy-in from government ministries and key civil society organizations and universities was achieved, the research team found that formalizing this support could have improved the legitimacy of these assessments.…”

Toward Civic Co-production: Using Worldbuilding to Go Beyond Participation in Urban Planning and Enact More Equitable Cities

“…RIBA has advocated for the architect's role as "visual communicator and enabler of good design decisions" for over a decade. Many researchers have since explored how investing in more effective and dynamic modes of public communication strengthens civic trust, allowing for more meaningful and longstanding improvements in urban equity to occur as a result (Mabon and Shih, 2018;Lin and Geertman, 2019;Åström, 2020).…”

Assessing governance challenges of local biodiversity and ecosystem services: Barriers identified by the expert community

“…CBD, 2018b). 'Communication' is increasingly understood as a multi-way dialogue between different sections of society on what the most appropriate form of BES management is, rather than the one-way flow of information from 'experts' out to society (Mabon and Shih, 2018b). One aspect of evaluating CEPA may thus be the extent to which stakeholders have opportunity to meaningfully participate in decision-making processes (Wesselink et al, 2011).…”