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Kristina Blennow

Visiting research fellow

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Are values related to culture, identity, community cohesion and sense of place the values most vulnerable to climate change?

Author

  • Kristina Blennow
  • Erik Persson
  • Johannes Persson

Summary, in English

Values related to culture, identity, community cohesion and sense of place have sometimes been downplayed in the climate change discourse. However, they have been suggested to be not only important to citizens but the values most vulnerable to climate change. Here we test four empirical consequences of the suggestion: (i) at least 50% of the locations citizens' consider to be the most important locations in their municipality are chosen because they represent these values, (ii) locations representing these values have a high probability of being damaged by climate change induced sea level rise, (iii) citizens for which these values are particularly strongly held less strongly believe in the local effects of climate change, and (iv) citizens for which these values are particularly strongly held less strongly believe that they have experienced the effects of climate change. The tests were made using survey data collected in 2014 from 326 citizens owning property in Höganäs municipality, Sweden, and included values elicited using a new methodology separating instrumental values from end values, and using the former (which strictly speaking should be seen as estimates of usefulness rather than as aims in themselves) as stepping stones to pinpoint the latter, that represent the true interests of the respondents. The results provide the first evidence that, albeit frequent, values related to culture, identity, community cohesion and sense of place are not the values most vulnerable to climate change. This in turn indicates a need to further investigate the vulnerability of these values to climate change, using a methodology that clearly distinguishes between instrumental and end values.

Department/s

  • VBE
  • Theoretical Philosophy

Publishing year

2019-01-10

Language

English

Publication/Series

PLoS ONE

Volume

14

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Public Library of Science (PLoS)

Topic

  • Agricultural Science, Forestry and Fisheries
  • Philosophy

Keywords

  • Climate change adaptation
  • Values Based Action
  • Final value
  • Instrumental value
  • Höganäs

Status

Published

Project

  • Science and Proven Experience
  • LUCID - Lund University Centre of Excellence for Integration of Social and Natural Dimensions of Sustainability

Research group

  • VBE

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1932-6203