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Community Engagement and Addressing Barriers to Adapting to Climate Change

Community Engagement and Addressing Barriers to Adapting to Climate Change. Lara Whitely Binder Climate Impacts Group University of Washington March 18, 2009 Coastal Training Program “Planning for Climate Change”. Climate Science in the Public Interest.

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Community Engagement and Addressing Barriers to Adapting to Climate Change

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  1. Community Engagement and Addressing Barriers to Adapting to Climate Change Lara Whitely Binder Climate Impacts Group University of Washington March 18, 2009Coastal Training Program “Planning for Climate Change” Climate Science in the Public Interest

  2. Dealing with Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation Mitigation activities Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases via improved energy efficiency, new energy technologies, etc. Adaptation activities Managing the change that occurs as mitigation strategies are implemented. The focus of today’s session.

  3. Why Adaptive Planning? • Significant climate change impacts are projected, and impacts over the next few decades are virtually certain. • Washington’s residents, businesses, and local and state governments are on the “front line” for dealing with climate change. • Decisions with long-term impacts are being made every day. Today’s choices will shape tomorrow’s vulnerabilities. • Significant time is required to motivate and develop adaptive capacity, and to implement changes. • Proactive planning is often more effective and less costly than reactive planning, and can provide benefits today.

  4. So What’s the Problem?Common Barriers • Denial/Disbelief.Climate change is not occurring. • The “so what?” problem of scale.Mis-interpretation of the magnitude of the change (it’s only a couple of degrees…) • The “perfect information” problem. There is too much uncertainty to take action; I’ll wait for better information. • Issue fatigue.I have to deal with X,Y, and Z yesterday, and you want me to do this too? • The “after I’ve retired” problem. The long-term nature of the problem is beyond the time horizon for many decision makers.

  5. Common Barriers (cont’d) • “In my back yard” syndrome.Can you tell exactly me how climate change will affect my specific watershed, coastline, forest? • “My hands are tied” problem: • Lack of internal and/or external support for acting on climate change. • Regulatory restrictions prohibiting the use of new information on climate change • Lack of staff/fiscal/technical resources for planning • Difficulties dealing with probabilistic information. How do you start basing multi-million dollar decisions on probabilities with relatively large uncertainties? • The risk taking problem.You don’t get punished for following existing guidelines. • The “no one’s asking” problem.I am not hearing anyone from the public asking about climate change impacts in meetings, discussions, etc.

  6. How Do We Get Past These Barriers? • Invest in outreach, education, and training • For internal and external audiences • Build internal capacity for accessing or producing climate change information at a variety of levels • Improved connections to research communities • Improved access to climate information (data, publications, external technical expertise) • Modeling capabilities that integrate climate change • Data collection related to climate concerns

  7. How do we get past, cont’d • Reframe the issue • Climate change will exacerbate many existing high-priority management concerns, thereby warranting consideration. • Uncertainty is an inherent part of decision making; climate change uncertainty is fundamentally no different than other uncertainties • Planning for climate change is necessary for meeting a community’s responsibilities at all levels • Build partnerships • Develop partnerships with neighboring communities, other stakeholders, etc. for the purpose of cost-sharing

  8. How do we get past, cont’d • Leverage the experience of others • Look for examples of where other communities are integrating climate information into planning as a means for demonstrating the “doability” of the task • Change the authorizing environment • Change best practices, policies, rules, and regulations to incorporate climate change. • Where possible, additional resources • E.g., for training current staff, new hires with expertise in the area of climate or related technical needs, needed research, development and monitoring of pilot projects

  9. Planning for Uncertainty Look to implement • “No regrets” strategies Provides benefits now with or without climate change • “Low regrets” strategies Provide climate change benefits for little additional cost or risk • “Win-win” or “Co-benefit” strategies Reduce climate change impacts while providing other environmental, social, or economic benefits

  10. Community Engagement • Who is the community? • Co-workers • Residents • Businesses • Elected officials • Other federal, state, county, local, tribal government staff • Others…

  11. Develop Your Message Describe: • Observed and projected changes • How these changes may affect the community • How the community plans to move forward on adaptive planning May also want to: • Identify other communities that are also planning for climate change Definitely: • Convey the need for action but remain positive

  12. Delivering Your Message For internal audiences: • Brown bag seminars • Department meetings • Briefings to councils, executives, staff For internal and external audiences: • Newsletters, fact sheets, utility inserts, brochures • Websites • Public meetings • Press releases/public statements • Media training events • Events aimed at businesses and NGOs

  13. Examples of Community Engagement from British Columbia

  14. Elkford, British Columbia • “Company town”, 25+ years old, built to support work force for two local coal mines. Pop: 2,700 • Predominately miners: 4 days on, 4 off shifts • Hunting, fishing and backcountry recreation are favored pastimes • Difficult scheduling community engagement events • Varying opinions on causes of climate change • Developing adaptation plan simultaneously with comprehensive community plan (“OCP”) Elkford slides adapted from and courtesy of Elkford, BC adaptation team

  15. Community Engagement • Dot Survey as a method of engagement • What issue do you think is a top priority for the District of Elkford? • Do you think human activity is contributing to climate change? • Are you concerned about the current and/or future impacts of climate change on our communities?

  16. Also… • Door-to-door distribution of surveys, and talking about key issues in Elkford • Surveys and ‘Firestarters’ distributed at community sign-up • Surveys and Community Advisory Committee applications distributed • Presentation to Council and attending community members • ‘Kitchen Table’ meetings about key issues with community representatives • What are the priorities in the community?

  17. Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada aka, The Queen Charlotte Islands • Two main islands along with approximately 150 smaller islands. Total landmass of 3,932 sq mi. • Population estimated at 5,000. Indigenous people (Haida) live throughout the islands. • A blended economy based on logging, commercial fishing, government jobs, tourism

  18. Community Meeting Goals 1. To provide a participatory settingfor residents to contribute to the research process by sharing experiences and suggestions on community and climate- related changes in Northern Haida Gwaii; 2. To identify, via a community mapping exercise, areas and activities of local importance and change; 3. To gather information on local perceptions, past experiences, and responses to climate- and community-related changes; 4. To identify ways in which the community could strengthen its ability to adjust and adapt to future climate and community changes. CCIAP A580: Coastal vulnerability to climate change and sea-level rise, NE Graham Island, Haida Gwaii, BC. Walker et al. 2007

  19. Promoting the Meeting • A Saturday was chosen • Provided locally prepared foods, free transportation, children’s activities, and door prizes (purchased at local stores and restaurants) to increase the appeal of the workshop. • The workshop was advertised a month in advance using • posters in public locations, • community television scroll, • community newsletters, and • via a float in the Masset Harbour Days Parade CCIAP A580: Coastal vulnerability to climate change and sea-level rise, NE Graham Island, Haida Gwaii, BC. Walker et al. 2007

  20. Beware the “Information Deficit Model” The Information Deficit Model assumes People change behavior People learn something Attitudes change • People must feel connected to the risk and the solutions

  21. Closing Thoughts on Adaptive Planning and Community Engagement • Adaptive planning and community engagement are not one-time activities • There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to managing climate change impacts, or engaging the community • Difficult choices are ahead. Be up front about that, but stay positive

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