Human-induced global warming drives climate extremes across the entire globe. Thus, people need to understand the consequences of already accumulated CO2, and why reaching the net-zero CO2...Show moreHuman-induced global warming drives climate extremes across the entire globe. Thus, people need to understand the consequences of already accumulated CO2, and why reaching the net-zero CO2 emissions has to be achieved as soon as possible. A communication tool that has power to spread the environmental awareness is data visualisation. The current research aims to find empirical evidence for the effects of three design guidelines (shade, annotations, animation) applied to carbon emissions scenario figures on following outcome measures: climate change risk perception, climate beliefs, climate policy support and real-world action. By testing different ways of visualising the carbon emission figures, we investigated how best to visualise data to convey the message concerning the urgency of taking a climate action due to cumulative impact of CO2. We expected people exposed to visualisations including the most cognitive cues (e.g. annotations) to score highest on the outcome measures. The final sample consisted of 314 non-climate scientists, who were randomly assigned to eight experimental groups and one control group. Our results did not show any effects of the chosen design techniques on any of the outcome measures. The main limitation of this study is a small and homogenous sample. We also concluded that there is some vagueness in the literature concerning how data visualisation design guidelines should be applied. Future research should focus on specifying the data visualisation guidelines and their application, as well as investigating user-cantered and transdisciplinary approaches to improve climate data communication to all types of audiences.Show less
Agricultural open-air museums date back to the late 19th century, as it became fashionable to collect examples of local folklife. They collected historic, relocated buildings, furnished them with...Show moreAgricultural open-air museums date back to the late 19th century, as it became fashionable to collect examples of local folklife. They collected historic, relocated buildings, furnished them with original objects, and often enlivened the museum and building with plants, animals, and costumed interpreters. Archaeological open-air museums(AOAMs) were born out of an interest in reconstructing the archaeological past. The first AOAMs were based on pile dwellings discovered in Swiss and German lakes in the late 19th century. AOAMs are popular cultural destinations, but both AOAMs and agricultural open-air museums have faced the critique of inauthenticity. This study discusses how a concern over ‘authenticity’ could prevent different questions about AOAMs from being asked. For example, how can AOAMs engage with the past in a way that is relevant in the present, and for the future? One way to do this is to participate in climate change communication. Current media messaging is often overwhelming, or it presents climate change as contentious. Museums can be important locations for communicating climate change awareness and action in ways that do not centre fear or helplessness. A survey of the literature around climate change communication in museums shows that AOAMs are uniquely placed within museum archaeology to address many aspects of climate change engagement, using various themes and strategies. As museum spaces, they are friendly places to learn about complex issues. As places of archaeological interpretation, they can demonstrate time depth and tell local, personal stories with an affective component. As outdoor spaces, they offer immersive experiences and can facilitate a sense of connection with nature. They can engage visitors with themes of sustainability, biodiversity, and ancient plants, animals, and crafts, and show how these relate to the present. Through museum interpreters and other visitors, as well as narratives and interpretation, they can foster a sense of connection to other people both in the present and in the past. Using the case studies preHistorisch Dorp Eindhoven, Archäologisches Freilichtmuseum Oerlinghausen, and Pfahlbauten Unteruhldingen, this study discusses to what extent the museums are engaging in these themes and strategies, using an analytical framework that pays close attention to the use of various components of the museum – setting, space and layout, display types, subject and text, activities and educational programmes. The research shows that each museum emphasizes different themes and strategies. PreHistorisch Dorp focuses on creating immersive experiences by creating independent activity areas and telling personal stories of life in the past with fictional characters. Archäologisches Freilichtmuseum Oerlinghausen offers many organised events, activities and programmes, which focus mainly on ancient crafts and the connection between people and their environment. Pfahlbauten Unteruhldingen has the Steinzeitparcours, a park/garden area dedicated to encouraging a connection to nature through learning about the uses for various trees in the past. This research shows that there is room for AOAMs in the broader discussion around archaeological museums and climate change, and that they can bring a unique element of direct connection to the visitor experience.Show less
Subnational climate diplomacy is a concept that has been gaining attention in the field of International Relations in recent years. It refers to the way in which state and local governments are...Show moreSubnational climate diplomacy is a concept that has been gaining attention in the field of International Relations in recent years. It refers to the way in which state and local governments are increasingly taking part in international negotiations and cooperation to advance global climate objectives. This signifies a sizable shift in the traditional approach to state-to-state diplomacy. However, the value of subnational climate diplomacy to the global fight against climate change is currently almost exclusively measured in terms of clearly quantifiable outputs, which largely overlooks its less directly quantifiable contributions and broader social, economic and political impacts. Therefore, this thesis analyzes how subnational climate diplomacy can contribute to transformative change through more indirect impacts. The indirect impacts that are measured are ‘rescaling’ and ‘entrenchment,’ based on the frameworks developed by authors van der Ven, Bernstein and Hoffmann (2017) and Setzer (2017). These two concepts serve to guide the analysis undertaken in this thesis, which aims to answer the following research question: How can subnational climate diplomacy contribute to transformative change through rescaling and entrenchment? To answer this question, the thesis includes a detailed case study of the international climate agenda of the U.S. state of California. The analysis of California's international climate agenda shows how the state’s subnational climate diplomacy is contributing to a rescaling of climate governance. By establishing international linkages along both the vertical and the horizontal axis, California is triggering a rescaling of climate governance on the subnational, national and international/supranational level. Additionally, California’s subnational climate diplomacy is fostering entrenchment by generating effects in climate governance that are durable and difficult to reverse. Overall, this study emphasizes that subnational climate diplomacy can contribute to transformative change in global climate governance, not only through producing directly quantifiable emission reductions, but also through rescaling climate governance and entrenching durable change.Show less
Despite widespread public concern and scientific consensus about the ecological crisis, current efforts to curb global emissions are falling short. National and international efforts are permeated...Show moreDespite widespread public concern and scientific consensus about the ecological crisis, current efforts to curb global emissions are falling short. National and international efforts are permeated by a lack of ambition and urgency. Psychosocial scholars have argued that this reflects a state of ecoparalysis, a result of ecoanxiety and fear of ecological destruction. However, this thesis argues that the ecological crisis and our responses to it cannot be seen in isolation from the hegemony of capitalism. Capitalism’s need for unlimited growth drives the ecological crisis. Under the current stage of capitalism, neoliberal rationality permeates our every interaction, neoliberal logics govern every sphere of life, and becomes common-sense. This thesis explores how this influences our responses to the ecological crisis. It argues that the hegemony of capitalism distorts reality in such a way that capitalism becomes what is real, and as a consequence we cannot conceive of ourselves or of the world outside of capitalism. This fosters an inability to see alternatives, thus, preventing us from collectively and meaningfully responding to the ecological crisis.Show less
While the number of cross-border climate migrants is increasing, their legal protection remains fragmented. Examining the idea of expanding the 1951 UN Refugee Convention to include climate...Show moreWhile the number of cross-border climate migrants is increasing, their legal protection remains fragmented. Examining the idea of expanding the 1951 UN Refugee Convention to include climate migrants, I conclude that their situation is different from those of political refugees in a morally relevant sense, which entitles them to a new kind of protection. Based on that conclusion, I develop a just protection framework for climate migrants, which sets out migrants’ rights and the duties of states that are associated with granting these rights. The proposed framework particularly focuses on migrants’ agency and procedural justice since both highly contribute to the relocation’s success. To mitigate possible feasibility constraints, because of states’ lack of willingness to implement such a framework, I introduce a market system which allows states to trade the responsibility to host climate migrants in the form of “migrant quotas”, thereby giving them more flexibility. However, since such a market approach would undermine migrants’ agency, I propose a matching system, which matches migrants’ preferences about where to move, with states’ non-discriminatory preferences about what migrants they are willing to accommodate.Show less
Currently, the Philippines is dealing with a climate change crisis which significantly impacts the severity and frequency of the natural disasters they encounter (Climate Change Adaptation, 2023;...Show moreCurrently, the Philippines is dealing with a climate change crisis which significantly impacts the severity and frequency of the natural disasters they encounter (Climate Change Adaptation, 2023; Mateo, 2023). With the Philippines losing significant amounts of money each year due to natural disasters, it is of even greater urgency that light is shed on the severity of the climate change crisis in the country. This research investigated the research question: ‘How do people in the Philippines experience and understand the effects of climate change?’. How do house safety, preparedness, and (local) climate change governance influence their experiences and understanding of climate change’s effects in the Philippines? Using an inductive approach and digital ethnographic methods such as online interviewing, semi-structured interviews were held via Zoom with five interlocutors of varying ages, gender, location, occupation, and income. After gathering the data from the interlocutors, it was found that the answer to the research question comprises multiple elements related to house safety, preparedness, and climate change governance. The built and material environment, economic environment, social environment, and political environment all play a significant role in the Philippine people’s understanding and personal experiences with the effects of climate change.Show less
The acknowledgement of climate change as a contemporary existential threat to humankind has been prompting scholarly debate on how it might influence the future of nation-states, nationalism, and...Show moreThe acknowledgement of climate change as a contemporary existential threat to humankind has been prompting scholarly debate on how it might influence the future of nation-states, nationalism, and their makings. This theoretical discussion has notably included the question of whether appealing to the emotions of nationalism could make national communities willing to make the effort and sacrifice needed to tackle climate change. It remains to be questioned, however, what are the implications of resorting to the affective blueprint provided by nationalism in the era of climate change in both scholarship and policymaking. By performing Qualitative Content Analysis and Emotional Discourse Analysis, this work aims to address this question by empirically mapping the narratives and emotions of the nationalist environmental rhetoric of President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration in Brazil, one that portrays climate change as a threat to the nation-state’s identity and sovereignty and yet explicitly advances climate denialism. The empirical results indicate three core problems with the emotions of nationalism in the era of climate change as they entail five distinct types of exclusions. It is hoped that this research can provide evidence of what the implications of resorting to nationalism may be as far-right nativist populism makes its way into global politics. Importantly, it also seeks to dialogue with attempts at creating typologies of national discourses engaging with climate change and with methodological efforts to systematically incorporate emotions as a promising level of analysis in International Relations research.Show less
How have framings of climate change in European Parliamentary debates been used as a tool for attempted influence over the European Union’s long-term climate strategy in the aftermath of the 2015...Show moreHow have framings of climate change in European Parliamentary debates been used as a tool for attempted influence over the European Union’s long-term climate strategy in the aftermath of the 2015 Paris agreement? This single case study conducts a qualitative content analysis on the debates around, and the content of, the European Climate Law from 2021. The study tests the relevance and applicability of the Copenhagen school of securitisation theory, with the aim to contribute toward a deeper understanding of the European, and global, lack of effort to combat climate change. It can be concluded that framings of climate change in the European Parliamentary debates have been used as tools for attempted influence over the European Climate Law, in that the debates have been characterised by (unsuccessful) securitisation attempts.Show less
Climate change has had an influence on hominin evolution for quite some time and led to several speciation and adaptation events. With the later hominin species climate change has less of an impact...Show moreClimate change has had an influence on hominin evolution for quite some time and led to several speciation and adaptation events. With the later hominin species climate change has less of an impact, and extinction theories for the Neanderthals tend to lean in other directions. Despite this, the role of climate change in the Neanderthal extinction is not clear. Older research tended to be focused on global climate records that might not be representative of the smaller climate differences across highly geographically diverse continents. This research provides an overview of local palaeoenvironmental reconstructions for the period of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in research from 2015-2021 and focuses on the different proxies and climate factors, the stability of the climate, the scale of the research performed, and the perceived influence of climate change on local Neanderthal extinctions. These will be compared per major region (Iberian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula, Balkan Peninsula, and mid-latitude Europe) in order to determine if any patterns exist. The results show a diversity in the applied proxies and a general trend of deteriorating climate around the time of the Neanderthal extinction. The majority of the research concludes that climate change did not play a major role in the Neanderthal extinction. Despite this, there are some anomalous locations that do not agree with the general consensus this overview produced. Future research at these locations could provide information to nuance the current picture of climate change or corroborate the overall consensus.Show less
As consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly obvious, more and more risky practices are being considered to moderate its repercussions, such as geo-engineering. Climate engineering,...Show moreAs consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly obvious, more and more risky practices are being considered to moderate its repercussions, such as geo-engineering. Climate engineering, however, carries many ethical questions to be considered before it can be deemed an acceptable measure. In this thesis, ethical considerations in regards to the rights of nature will be examined in order to assess its permissibility. The rights of nature seek to question the widely held instrumental view of nature, aiming at conceptualizing the natural world as an interconnected reality, rather than an available and exploitable resource. This is especially important when evaluating geo-engineering since it involves artificially altering natural processes, which may jeopardize nature's integrity. An ecocentric approach will thus shed light on the anthropocentric essence of geo-engineering and its harmful effects towards nature. In all, I will argue how these elements can be turned into a more considerate approach to the practice, should a shift in our conception of nature occur. This in turn will favor a modification of the aim of geo-engineering, whose scope will be expanded to include nature’s rights.Show less
“How to respond to climate change and revive the world economy are challenges of our times that we must meet” (Nikkei Asia 2021). These words were part of the written speech that Xi Jinping sent to...Show more“How to respond to climate change and revive the world economy are challenges of our times that we must meet” (Nikkei Asia 2021). These words were part of the written speech that Xi Jinping sent to the World Leaders Summit at the 26th Conference of the Parties in 2021. Climate change is the crux of many countries and their governments all over the world, directly and indirectly affecting not only people and their livelihoods and prospects, but also processes such as economic development and social stability. Especially the Chinese Communist Party, which has underpinned its legitimacy partially with economic growth, is realizing that the quality of its environment needs to be improved if it wants to safeguard its authority and security. A tool that many democratic governments use to streamline their environmental management is public participation, but China as an authoritarian state does not always boast the institutions necessary to guide such activities. Nevertheless, grassroots forms of participation are present, and the Chinese civil society is always assessing the permissible boundaries of its involvement. To ensure the environment is managed in such a way that the desired economic growth is still possible, the Chinese government is experimenting with forms of public participation. Therefore, this thesis looks at how the Chinese government views public participation in environmental governance. Using a comparative analysis of two case studies, it is concluded that the government is appraising new channels of participation in the management and improvement of the country’s environment. Despite this, public participation is still viewed as a threat to the stability of the state's security and is still harshly prohibited.Show less
Due to climate change and rising temperatures, the world is more often facing extreme weather conditions like drought. Such conditions of water scarcity especially cause problems in countries...Show moreDue to climate change and rising temperatures, the world is more often facing extreme weather conditions like drought. Such conditions of water scarcity especially cause problems in countries dependent on agriculture, where failed harvests can cause negative income shocks and grievance development, influencing conflict. Focusing on the relationship between conflict intensity and water scarcity, this research explores the case of the Syrian civil war from 2011-2017, finding that over-time differences in temperatures can explain monthly variations in number of deaths. This research thereby confirms the fact that rising temperatures can lead to more intense conflict and concludes with brief discussion of policy recommendations to tackle drought-related conflict.Show less
Human activities have impacted the natural landscape and vegetation from the emergence of agriculture onwards. Subsequent traces of anthropogenic activities are documented and preserved in...Show moreHuman activities have impacted the natural landscape and vegetation from the emergence of agriculture onwards. Subsequent traces of anthropogenic activities are documented and preserved in paleoenvironmental archives, such as peat or lake sequences. The current study utilizes a high-resolution pollen dataset retrieved from a peat sequence in combination with archaeological data from the area to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and cultural landscape of the area of Haraldstadmyr bog in Southeastern Norway. An in-depth analysis of agricultural activities was performed focusing on the period of the Early Iron Age to the Medieval Period. Utilizing radiocarbon dating, a chronology of farming activities was provided. Archaeological burial dates from a local burial site located were used in comparison with the pollen data to interpret habitational patterns of the local area. As a result, periods of intensive farming as well as periods of abandonment were identified. In addition, periods of pastoral farming were distinguished from periods of mixed farming. The forcing factors of the changes seen in farming strategies and agricultural intensity are likely related to climate changes as well as societal changes in the area. In this study, a new finding is proposed, indicating an abandonment of the area around 950 CE. An abandonment of the agricultural area in Southeastern Norway in the mid 10th century has not been previously discovered nor studied. Further in-depth studies are needed in order to confirm this finding, as well as to identify the forcing factors of the abandonment.Show less
