Coping with Corona & Narratives for Change
Valentina Aversano-Dearborn, Future Earth WG on Communicating SCP with contributions from Emmanuelle Vital and Charlotte
Louise Jensen, May 2020 (all are members of group 8/COVID-19 and Sustainability Transitions /Future Earth KAN SSCP*)
This policy brief describes four stages of human reactions to sudden change. What can
they tell us about effective change communication for managing sustainability transitions
in the current crisis?
Enhancing citizen engagement on the climate crisis: the role of deliberation
Laura Devaney, Martha Coleman, Diarmuid Torney and Pat Brereton Dublin City University
September 2019
The Citizens’ Climate research project, based at Dublin City University, was funded by the Environmental Protection Agency to draw lessons from Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly for deepening public engagement on climate change.
The project team examined the contexts in which deliberation can contribute to enhancing public engagement on the climate crisis, and developed guidelines for conducting and communicating within citizens’ assemblies and other types of deliberative forum when appropriate. This output summarises the project results.
The Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan 2019 specifically calls for improved public awareness
of the need for climate action. Crucially, the Plan proposes a significant step-up in government engagement with citizens and communities through better mobilising structures and initiatives “to inform, engage, motivate, and empower people to take climate action” (p.17). Citizens will be at the heart of the low-carbon transition and
it is essential that they are engaged, empowered and supported towards more sustainable practices. Deliberative forums represent a possible mode of engagement and mobilisation.