Journal article
How Climate Change Knowledge and Emotions Influence Community Advocacy
Social Alternatives, Vol.39(2), pp.26-34
2020
Abstract
Given the climate emergency it is critical that all parts of society contribute to addressing climate change. Key motivators for engaging the community to take action on climate change are cognitive and emotional connections. Research shows that effective engagement with climate change requires understanding the causes and consequences and having a personal connection to it. This case study investigates how an Australian Biosphere Reserve governing body, with a mandate for action on sustainability and climate change, engages with the topic. We used free association tasks within semi-structured interviews to determine participants' cognitive and emotive associations with climate change. The findings revealed understanding of climate change causes and impacts consistent with current scientific knowledge. Potential responses to climate change though, were narrowly defined and emotions associated with climate change were mainly negative. Sustainability-focused organisations can be a valuable vehicle for stimulating community action through their extensive networks. Community practitioners may find a process, such as a free association task, helpful to understand cognitive and emotional connections to climate change, as a starting point for understanding a group's motivation to take climate action.
Details
- Title
- How Climate Change Knowledge and Emotions Influence Community Advocacy
- Authors
- Kate English (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Social Sciences - LegacyClaudia Baldwin (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Social Sciences - Legacy
- Publication details
- Social Alternatives, Vol.39(2), pp.26-34
- Publisher
- Social Alternatives
- Date published
- 2020
- ISSN
- 1836-6600; 0155-0306
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2020 Social Alternatives. Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Tertiary Access - Legacy; School of Education and Tertiary Access; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Engage Research Lab; School of Law and Society; Sustainability Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99482293402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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