Ockwell, D., et al. (2009). Reorienting climate change communication for effective mitigation: Forcing people to be green or fostering grass-roots engagement?

Title: Reorienting Climate Change Communication for Effective Mitigation: Forcing People to Be Green or Fostering Grass-roots Engagement? Authors: Ockwell, D., et al. Year: 2009

Summary: Ockwell et al. (2009) explore the effectiveness of different communication strategies for promoting climate change mitigation and fostering public engagement in environmental issues. The authors argue that traditional top-down, information-deficit approaches to climate change communication, which assume that providing people with more information will automatically lead to environmentally responsible behavior, have been largely ineffective in achieving lasting behavior change.

Instead, the authors propose a shift towards more participatory, grass-roots communication strategies that emphasize local and context-specific solutions, as well as empowerment and collaboration between stakeholders. They contend that engaging people at the community level and involving them in the development of locally relevant solutions can lead to more sustainable and long-lasting changes in attitudes and behaviors.

The study reviews the existing literature on climate change communication and presents case studies of successful grass-roots engagement efforts, highlighting their common features and the factors that contributed to their success. These case studies demonstrate the potential of locally tailored, participatory approaches for achieving meaningful change in environmental behavior and policy support.

In conclusion, Ockwell et al. (2009) argue that reorienting climate change communication from a top-down, information-deficit model to a more participatory, grass-roots approach can foster greater public engagement and lead to more effective mitigation efforts. The study underscores the importance of empowering individuals and communities to take ownership of local climate change solutions, thereby promoting more sustainable behavior and fostering a collective sense of responsibility for addressing global environmental challenges.