Sustainability

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18 pages, 526 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dialogue and Disruption at the Doorstep: Participant Perceptions during a City Walk as a Climate Communication Format

by Elisabeth Hartmann, Katrin Geneuss and Imke Hoppe

Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4490; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114490 - 25 May 2024

Viewed by 325

Since there is a broad empirical consensus that linear science communication focusing on disaster framing rarely empowers audiences and prompts transformative action, alternative climate communication formats are needed. This paper explores an alternative climate communication format, which integrates the issue into a local [...] Read more.

Since there is a broad empirical consensus that linear science communication focusing on disaster framing rarely empowers audiences and prompts transformative action, alternative climate communication formats are needed. This paper explores an alternative climate communication format, which integrates the issue into a local context (Munich, Germany) via transdisciplinary cooperation, specifically through collaboration with local climate educators and tapping into the scientific expertise of local stakeholders. The conceptualized format of a City Walk on the subject of climate justice addresses urban citizens and tests the effectiveness of climate justice as an alternative framing. Drawing on an accompanying empirical study with qualitative group discussions (n = 14, October 2023), this article explores how the format and framing are perceived by the participants. Based on these findings, we discuss the potentials and pitfalls of the format for transdisciplinary science communication. In summary, the City Walk deepened participants’ understanding of local climate justice—that is to say, how heat and flooding could amplify existing inequalities, and why adaptation and mitigation measures have not yet been implemented more thoroughly. Here, the crucial point is not whether the shift from climate change being a general topic to a personal one is supported by technical aspects of communication (e.g., virtual simulations). However, perceived local climate justice barriers (like bureaucracy) led participants to prioritize individual action (‘footprint’) over collective action (e.g., addressing local change). With these results, this study underlines the importance of new transdisciplinary formats for climate communication to address local change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environment and Communication)

28 pages, 1616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exogenous, Endogenous, and Peripheral Actors: A Situational Analysis of Stakeholder Inclusion within Transboundary Water Governance

by Hannah Whitley

Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3647; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093647 - 26 Apr 2024

Viewed by 643

Abstract

Transboundary water governance involves collaborative decision-making across geopolitical boundaries to manage shared water resources sustainably. While this approach integrates public, private, and community efforts, little scrutiny has been directed toward the involvement of non-institutionally affiliated stakeholders. This study critically examines stakeholder participation in [...] Read more.

Transboundary water governance involves collaborative decision-making across geopolitical boundaries to manage shared water resources sustainably. While this approach integrates public, private, and community efforts, little scrutiny has been directed toward the involvement of non-institutionally affiliated stakeholders. This study critically examines stakeholder participation in Upper Klamath Basin water governance by investigating how deficiencies in stakeholder inclusion impede transboundary water management processes by favoring institutionally affiliated actors. Findings reveal the differential influence of “endogenous” (directly involved), “exogenous” (indirectly involved), and “peripheral” (limited engagement and influence) actors. While endogenous and exogenous actors have formal or informal ties to institutions, peripheral actors lack institutional affiliation(s), making it difficult for them to participate in and ultimately influence water governance decision-making processes. Their limited access to financial, natural, and social capital further restricts their engagement with governance efforts. This imbalance underscores challenges to equity and inclusion in transboundary water governance processes. Addressing the exclusion of peripheral actors from transboundary water governance requires that governance institutions prioritize equity and inclusivity, fostering transparency, incentivizing inclusive practices, and comparing engagement processes to enhance effectiveness and equity in transboundary water management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environment and Communication)

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19 pages, 265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Addressing Epistemic Injustice: Engaging Children as Environmental Communicators to Support the Long-Term Sustainability of Forest Ecosystems

by Marie McEntee, Kat Thomas, Molly Mullen, Christina Houghton, Mark Harvey and Ariane Craig-Smith

Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3124; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083124 - 9 Apr 2024

Viewed by 638

Abstract

Closure of a forest for biosecurity purposes led to the marginalisation and disconnection of Year 6 children from a local forest of significance to them in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The marginalisation of children’s voices and concomitantly of their knowledge, ideas, and values from [...] Read more.

Closure of a forest for biosecurity purposes led to the marginalisation and disconnection of Year 6 children from a local forest of significance to them in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The marginalisation of children’s voices and concomitantly of their knowledge, ideas, and values from environmental issues can be viewed as an example of epistemic injustice, which manifests widely in the environmental area, particularly in relation to marginalised groups. To counter this marginalisation and promote epistemic justice, we explored how the creative arts involving a child-driven environmental communication project could foster children’s sense of agency by supporting the protection of a local forest affected by a tree disease. We show that the creative arts could facilitate the children’s meaningful engagement in environmental issues in a learning environment that fostered child-centric approaches that enabled children to express their visions for sustainable futures in distinctly unique ways that were relevant to them. Furthermore, enabling the children to participate as environmental communicators re-established their relationship with their local forest and re-balanced the power structures that had led to the children’s sense of marginalisation. The insights on how this child-centred relational approach can promote epistemic justice and provide a meaningful contribution to the long-term sustainable management of forest ecosystems has implications for other marginalised groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environment and Communication)

27 pages, 3290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Elite Speech about Climate Change: Analysis of Sentiment from the United Nations Conference of Parties, 1995–2021

by Andrea Mah and Eunkyung Song

Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 2779; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072779 - 27 Mar 2024

Viewed by 636

Abstract

The Conference of Parties (COP) is the longest running forum for international discussion of climate change and offers rich data in the form of speeches. Studying how elites have historically communicated about climate change can help us understand their approaches to address climate [...] Read more.

The Conference of Parties (COP) is the longest running forum for international discussion of climate change and offers rich data in the form of speeches. Studying how elites have historically communicated about climate change can help us understand their approaches to address climate change. In this study, we analyzed 2493 COP statements from 1995 to 2021 to describe how sentiment is used, and to see whether specific issues associated with climate policy (adaptation, mitigation, financing, development, disasters) are discussed in particular sentiment contexts. Quantitative analysis (sentiment analysis with multi-level modelling) revealed that leaders expressed high levels of positive sentiment in these diplomatic statements, but also some negative sentiment. Over time, representatives at COP used more positive, angry, and fearful sentiments in speeches. Representatives of wealthier and more developed countries expressed themselves differently than those from less wealthy and developing countries. To examine sentiment surrounding policy issues we used embedding regression. Countries expressed different sentiments about adaptation, mitigation, and development depending on their development status, and about disasters depending on their wealth. Shifts in sentiment over time were observed when results were plotted graphically, and these shifts may be related to specific events and agreements. Using these two approaches, we highlight how those with the power to make top-down changes to address climate change have historically talked about this issue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environment and Communication)

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22 pages, 1759 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identifying Different Semantic Features of Public Engagement with Climate Change NGOs Using Semantic Network Analysis

by Eugene Kim and Noriko Hara

Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041438 - 8 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 844

Abstract

Social media platforms have revolutionized the engagement between climate non-governmental organizations (hereafter, NGOs) and their publics on climate issues. This research diverges from the traditional use of metrics like retweets and likes as simple indicators of identical success in ‘one-way’ climate communication. Instead, [...] Read more.

Social media platforms have revolutionized the engagement between climate non-governmental organizations (hereafter, NGOs) and their publics on climate issues. This research diverges from the traditional use of metrics like retweets and likes as simple indicators of identical success in ‘one-way’ climate communication. Instead, it underscores ‘two-way’ interactions and their connections that may vary by specific public engagement features, such as popularity, commitment, and virality. Using semantic network analysis, we analyzed tweets and replies between high-engagement NGOs and their publics, identifying communication patterns tied to particular types of public engagement. Additionally, we investigated shared meanings in these interactions with semantic similarity metrics and assessed sentiment alignment between NGOs and their publics as potential indicators of public engagement. Our findings suggest that climate NGOs should select resonating topics, ensuring their sentiments align with those of their publics. It’s also essential to tailor topics and focus points in climate communication strategies to reflect desired types of public engagement. This study offers insights into optimizing communication and engagement strategies for climate NGOs on social media. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environment and Communication)

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21 pages, 1126 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceptions of Urban Community Resilience: Beyond Disaster Recovery in the Face of Climate Change

by Felix N. Fernando, Meg Maloney and Lauren Tappel

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14543; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914543 - 7 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1119

Abstract

Resilience of human systems has increasingly become a popular topic of research. The aim of this article is to present a juxtaposition of public officials’ and residents’ perceptions of community resilience along the three-class typology of resilience (basic, adaptive, and transformative) using Dayton, [...] Read more.

Resilience of human systems has increasingly become a popular topic of research. The aim of this article is to present a juxtaposition of public officials’ and residents’ perceptions of community resilience along the three-class typology of resilience (basic, adaptive, and transformative) using Dayton, OH as a case study. A two-pronged data collection approach was designed to recruit public officials and residents. This approach was structured using the Community Capitals Framework. A multi-chain referral sampling process (and subsequent snowball sampling) was initiated subsequently. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 75 participants. The interviews were analyzed using a three-tiered deductive structural coding approach. The findings highlight the similarities and differences in resilience perceptions between public officials and community members along the three-class typology of resilience that could inform creative policy initiatives. The factors that might undergird residents’ and public officials’ perceptions of resilience are discussed. Based on these perceptions, the importance of social capital, communication infrastructure, and addressing chronic stressors are discussed as important strategies to build community resilience, in addition to focusing on essential community infrastructure systems (such as roads, energy, water, sewer, and gas systems). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environment and Communication)

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21 pages, 305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Your Sustainability Is Not My Sustainability: In-between Spaces for Meaningful Collaboration between Local Stakeholders and Planning Professionals to Construct Congruent Frames over Contested Meanings

by Selina Abraham

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14179; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914179 - 25 Sep 2023

Viewed by 954

Abstract

Urban sustainability is a highly contested topic because the challenges of sustaining urban ecosystems are interlinked with environmental justice and equity concerns. In urban planning processes, this requires more collaboration between professionals and local stakeholders (citizens and entrepreneurs). Yet, participatory processes in urban [...] Read more.

Urban sustainability is a highly contested topic because the challenges of sustaining urban ecosystems are interlinked with environmental justice and equity concerns. In urban planning processes, this requires more collaboration between professionals and local stakeholders (citizens and entrepreneurs). Yet, participatory processes in urban planning are strained with various challenges. This article suggests that in order to consciously shape communication for meaningful collaboration, it should be studied as a function of communication spaces, termed “in-between spaces”. These so-called in-between spaces are studied through the comparative analysis of two such spaces in the same brownfield redevelopment project in Amsterdam. The first space was created by an instrumental participatory process and the second through a co-creative approach. The spaces were studied through desk study and action research. The results indicated that fuzzier boundaries of in-between spaces and methodological plurality are needed for creating new congruent meanings, creating inter-dependencies between actors, and potentially fostering transformative learning, needed for sustainable urban development. Secondly, this article offers grounded insights into the contested interpretations of sustainable development between different sets of actors and identifies the potential of well-designed in-between spaces to make these tensions constructive. Lastly, this article highlights the diverse use of phronetic management (wisdom or ‘mindfulness’ in learning and leading attitudes for pragmatic action) by actors and the use of visual and creative methods for creating congruent meaning between actors, provided that local stakeholders feel ownership over the creative process and resulting output. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environment and Communication)

15 pages, 307 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Advocacy, Ecotourism, and Biopolitics of Whale Conservation in Ecuador

by Bradley Tatar

Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11608; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511608 - 27 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1331

Abstract

Whale-watching tourism in Ecuador thrives through the spectacular image of a flagship species, the humpback whale. Seemingly, it is an example of an industry regulated and managed in accordance with sustainable principles of nature conservation, thanks to the work of Ecuadorian scientists who [...] Read more.

Whale-watching tourism in Ecuador thrives through the spectacular image of a flagship species, the humpback whale. Seemingly, it is an example of an industry regulated and managed in accordance with sustainable principles of nature conservation, thanks to the work of Ecuadorian scientists who advocate for policies to protect whales from harmful exploitation. However, does the use of the whale as an icon of conservation result in its utilization as a mere commodity for profit? Through ethnographic fieldwork including interviews, observations, and textual analysis, it is shown that the Ecuadorian practices of whale conservation have resulted in the whale becoming a subject of governance, by which the wild animals are recognized as entities worthy of ethical treatment. Using the humpback whale as a flagship species, the Ecuadorian scientists practice biopolitics through the strategies of categorizing, monitoring, and regulating human interactions with the whale population. The success of this approach to wildlife governance highlights the role of NGO-affiliated scientists as knowledge producers and policy advocates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environment and Communication)

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