August 2022

The interconnected structure of a wooden rail trestle. This is meant to represent the inter-relationships required for mainstreaming.

Mainstreaming a Climate Action Leadership Competency

2 Comments / Academic Writing, CALS 501 / Deanna

Introduction

Mainstreaming is one of the core competencies of a climate action leader, as identified in the Climate Adaptation Competency Framework within the domain of “Climate Adaptation Planning & Implementation” (Cox et al., 2021). It is a strategy used to integrate climate action within an organization or across a sector with the intention to include climate action in “all objectives and decisions across programs, projects, operations, policies, procedures, financing and training” (Cox et al., 2021). To develop a further understanding of mainstreaming, the following three paragraphs summarize research papers on the topic. The papers were selected as they provided variety in research methodology and date of publication. The first paper is a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed research on mainstreaming, thereby giving a broad perspective and providing an analytical framework that could be used for future research. The second paper is a case study of five municipalities in Norway to understand what drives mainstreaming. This paper was one of the papers cited in the meta-analysis and provided foundational information to that work. The final and third paper is also a case study of a municipality in Ireland just published this year differing from the other case studies in that the lead author worked for the municipality. It provides a recent example of mainstreaming in action. The primary theme coming from all three papers was the need for a strong mandate and adequate resources to support mainstreaming.

Article 1 – Summary of Mainstreaming climate adaptation: taking stock of “what works” from empirical research worldwide

In the article Mainstreaming climate adaptation: taking stock about “what works” from empirical research worldwide Runhaar et al. (2017) assess existing peer-reviewed literature to identify: what mainstreaming has achieved and how; what the differences are “between policy sectors and countries” (p.1202); and what the critical factors are that makes mainstreaming effective. Runhaar et al. found that climate adaptation mainstreaming has different meanings to different authors. Therefore, their research used four of the five mainstreaming strategies identified by Wamsler and Pauleit (2016, as cited in Runhaar et al., 2017): managerial mainstreaming, intra – and inter-organizational mainstreaming, regulatory mainstreaming, and directed mainstreaming. Similarly, the authors could not find agreement in the literature on what mainstreaming should achieve or how it is measured, so they looked at policy outputs and outcomes to assess effectiveness (cf. Persson 2007; Jordan and Lenschow 2008, as cited in Runhaar et al., 2017). Their analytical framework also includes policy output effectiveness to determine how well the adaptation measures worked. To evaluate policy output effectiveness, Runhaar et al. looked at the drivers and the barriers identified in previous studies and came up with six categories for their evaluation.

This paper provides insights relevant to the mainstreaming competency that is part of the Climate Adaptation Competency Framework developed by Cox et al. (2021). It identifies what has worked and what has failed and develops a framework to assess adaptation mainstreaming. In terms of what works, their results show the main drivers are political will backed up with financial incentives, external cooperation, work of a policy entrepreneur, and focusing events (though only for a short duration after the event). Barriers are many, with the dominant ones affecting implementation being organizational and managerial structures that impede collaboration and lack climate adaptation mainstreaming as a clear priority or mandate. In the literature reviewed, the authors found that without adequate support from the top, mainstreaming becomes a voluntary activity with numerous implementation barriers. To achieve climate change adaptation implementation, the researchers identify the need for strict requirements or mandates that support mainstreaming. This will provide the impetus for all governments and organizations to climate adapt their sectors. Not surprisingly, there needs to be sufficient funding and staff resources to achieve mainstreaming effectively.

Article 2 – Summary of Mainstreaming climate change adaptation at the local level

Mainstreaming climate change adaptation at the local level is an examination of mainstreaming in five municipalities in Norway. Researchers, Rauken et al. (2015) seek to determine what drives mainstreaming and provide an explanation of why different approaches are used. Additionally, as the five municipalities have similar organization and management traits to other western communities, the study may provide a more comprehensive understanding of adaptation mainstreaming challenges in these settings. Conducting the examination included a literature review focused on the integration of policy and the origins of mainstreaming to provide the framework for evaluation. Rauken et al. determined they would use three aspects of mainstreaming to assess the various approaches the municipalities used or did not use. The aspects are comprehensiveness, aggregation, and consistency. A demonstration of comprehensiveness occurs when there is an awareness of the need to adapt, when strategic decisions reflect concern about climate change adaptation, and when climate change adaptation is integrated into related policy fields. Aggregation is demonstrated when climate change adaptation is assessed from an overall perspective rather than from a single sector perspective through a joint approach. Lastly, consistency is demonstrated when climate change adaptation has a connection to other policies and conflicting policy issues are addressed across policy fields (Rauken et al., 2015). Rauken et al. also argue that mainstreaming requires both vertical and horizontal approaches to achieve all three aspects of mainstreaming.

Rauken et al. (2015) findings provide a view into mainstreaming in action and a framework for assessing an organization’s use of mainstreaming. Results for each community are summarized in Table 1 from the study to compare the type of integration used, and what aspects of mainstreaming were achieved.

Table 1

Comparison of integration, approach and effectiveness of mainstreaming

Notes: Rauken et al. (2015) p. 415.

Direct quotes from the study participants provide context about their attitudes regarding the need and urgency for climate adaptation and how the flow of information may or may not be working. Interestingly the municipality that used vertical integration achieved the most climate change adaptation measures implemented but only in specific departments directly impacted by climate change. They did not intend to go beyond this action to have a cross-sectoral comprehensive climate change policy. The two larger municipalities in the study had more political focus on climate adaptation. This empowered the communities to use cross-sectoral groups and horizontal integration, resulting in steps towards comprehensiveness, aggregation, and consistency. Interestingly the community that used vertical integration had little political attention as there was a climate skeptic at the top leadership level.

The results also showed that the more resources invested, the more attention was paid, resulting in a higher level of comprehensiveness. Of interest, Rauken et al. (2015) surmise that a vertical integration approach could be helpful if there is a lack of political support or resources to achieve comprehensive mainstreaming as a first step to getting critical adaptation measures in place. However, the legitimacy created through the effort to attain cross-sector involvement may provide more action in the long run.

Article 3 – Summary of Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Planning and Development: A Case Study in Northern Ireland

Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Planning and Development: A Case Study in Northern Ireland provides an inside look at mainstreaming in action. Authors Burns et al. (2022) use five key factors to assess mainstreaming implementation. The factors were identified by the World Resources Institute (Mogelaard et al., 2018, as cited in Burns et al., 2022) and are the following: “(1) strong policy frameworks; (2) sustained and persistent leadership; (3) coordination mechanisms across sectors and between government departments; (4) information and tools; and (5) supportive financial processes” (p 130). Of equal interest to the assessment is how a small team successfully championed climate adaptation planning from within the city and district council. They were able to scale up to a dedicated task force encompassing all service areas after their recommendations received support and funding. Although there was no legislative requirement for the city to mainstream climate adaptation, the European Union provided funding and staffing resources to facilitate the process. Recent flooding events increased the public concern regarding climate change and brought to light that managing the risks is a moral obligation of local governments. There is also a recognition of the cross-dependencies within the region and the need for those sectors to adapt. This background information is of value as it provides the context and the organizational structures that facilitate mainstreaming at the local level.

This case study provides a detailed step-by-step process for the development and approval of the communities Climate Change Adaptation Plan. The overview of the five steps and the summary of each step’s actions shows mainstreaming was used during steps three and four. Step three involved one-to-one meetings and workshops that led to the strategic direction and agreed-upon priorities for the plan. Step four was the next phase of development and approval by a committee of elected officials via a consultation process with all directorates. A visual of the process of cross-cutting actions and the integration of the city and district’s functions is provided in Figure 1 from the study and demonstrates the effectiveness of mainstreaming and integration into policies.

Figure 1

Thematic priorities of the climate adaptation plan

Note: From Burns et al. (2022) p. 140. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

For example, they decided to screen all existing and emerging policies and all committee reports to ensure services are climate resilient. The other steps provide the groundwork for steps three and four, including adding climate change to the risk register and working with the finance department to identify budget requirements for adaptation work. The overview provided in Table 1 summarizes the actions taken for each step.

Table 1

Overview of action steps to mainstream climate adaptation plan

Note: From Burns et al. (2022) p. 139. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Reflecting on the lessons learned, Burns et al. (2022) acknowledge the significant amount of engagement and communication of risks necessary to garner the support of colleagues and, therefore, the challenge of using mainstreaming for integrating climate change adaptation within local governments.

References

Burns, C., Flood, S., O’Dwyer, B. (2022). Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Planning and Development: A Case Study in Northern Ireland. In: S. Flood, Y. Jerez Columbié, M. Le Tissier & B. O’Dwyer (Eds.), Creating Resilient Futures. (pp. 129-147) Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80791-7_7

Cox, R., Niederer, S., Forssman, V., Sikorski, L. (2021). Climate Adaptation Competency Framework, The Resilience by Design Lab: Adaptation Learning Network. https://adaptationlearningnetwork.com/sites/weadapt.org/files/aln-competencyframework_2021_1.pdf

Rauken, T., Mydske, P.K., Winsvold, M. (2015). Mainstreaming climate change adaptation at the local level. Local Environment, 20(4), 408-423. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2014.880412

Runhaar, H., Wilk, B., Persson, A., Uittenbroek, C., & Wamsler, C. (2017). Mainstreaming climate adaptation: taking stock of “what works” from empirical research worldwide. Regional Environmental Change, 18, 1201-1210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-017-1259-5

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Imagining my Green Neighbourhood Twenty Years From Now

Leave a Comment / CALS 502, Story Gallery / Deanna

Today, June 21, 2042, it has been ten years since my household achieved net zero carbon emissions. Even better, many of my neighbours have done the same thing or are close to doing so. Impressively, that is eight years before Canada will achieve the same target. I say “will” because the federal and provincial governments finally quit messing around and started taking serious steps to achieve the targets they set in the 2020s. This has moved Canada from being a climate change laggard to a leader in reducing emissions (Zimonjic, 2021).

Twenty years ago, people might have asked what it means to be net zero? But as most people now know, it means quitting emitting. That is, no more fossil fuel burning for household heat or transportation, and eliminating, as often as possible, products that require fossil fuels for their production. Also, it means no more methane-producing garbage or eating animals that create high emissions (Milman, 2021). Cow burps producing methane are just part of the problem.

How to get rid of emissions

For any emissions I create in a year, or when I build or renovate, I offset them with the excess clean electricity I put into the grid (more on that later) and what is growing in my yard. If more offsets are required to achieve net zero for the year, that is achieved by planting trees (Allen, 2021). As it stands now, there is no room left in my yard for trees. It is full! Fortunately, many First Nations have been able to sell carbon offsets because of the sequestered carbon in the forests they manage (Coastal First Nations, 2010). This helps us get to net zero and provides the First Nations with revenue from conservation.

Bushes and trees going out at Bonnell Creek near Nanaimo — Growing Forests Back Through Planting to Offset Emissions

As pleased as I am to be net zero, I could not have done this alone. Nor would I have wanted to. Achieving a goal like this is only meaningful and possible if others work toward the same purpose. That includes my neighbours, governments, corporations, and even the power-hungry plutocrats (Monbiot, 2022). When the neighbourhood decided to do this as a collective, we had more influence in getting help from the politicians and local businesses. Other neighbourhoods were also inspired and started their own green collectives. Renters got landlords to support tree planting and community gardens so that they could also benefit from the shade and access to fresh food.

At first, it was a challenge to change our homes and transportation methods, as well as to think about what we buy and how it is disposed of. Thankfully forward-thinking governments provided policies and incentives to help. Good governments that work for the people do make a difference. We all took advantage of and benefited from the federal government’s Greener Homes program, the provincial government’s CleanBC program, and the City of Nanaimo’s 2022 ReImagine Nanaimo City Plan. Over time the governments built on these plans to help citizens transition to greener living.

Greening the neighbourhood made us healthier

We found that greenhouse gas emissions were like a nasty virus that kept cropping up in different things and was often part of the mix of pollutants harmful to our health and planet (Chaisson, 2019). As it was when our neighbourhood collective started on the path to net zero, we did not know how much our health would benefit from our efforts (Kingsley, 2019). According to government statistics, our neighbourhood has fewer mental health problems, higher physical fitness rates, better cognitive function, and less overall sickness. We are happy, get along with each other and most importantly, look out for each other. Apparently, this has helped us to live longer.

Not surprisingly, these neighbourhood statistics have caught the interest of researchers. Unfortunately, other communities have seen a decline in health. Most are the ones that continued with the old high emissions lifestyle (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2022) and relied on the fossil fuel industries’ claims about technology to remove the emissions from the atmosphere. Sadly, the health and social problems overwhelm their health care, mental health, and social support systems. Our neighbourhood’s healthy lifestyle has the researchers calling our neighbourhood the Green Zone. That is a nod to the Blue Zones communities researchers studied in the early 2000s, where people live healthily and happily beyond 100 years of age (Buettner & Skemp, 2016). They want to find out what we have done so it can be replicated in other neighbourhoods.

A photo of a wheelbarrow full of harvested orange pumpkins and yellow and green squash. Golden yellow rudbeckia flowers in the background. — Can Growing Pumpkins in the Front Yard Grow Community?

Plants and gardens are more than pretty to look at

What got the collective started, I think, was growing pumpkins in the front yard. Aside from being a great way to keep the soil cool with all the foliage and providing food for fall and winter, growing pumpkins is a great conversation starter. Neighbours and passersby would stop and ask about the pumpkins, and toddlers would pat them. They then started to notice the blueberry hedge and the garlic tucked in amongst the lavender and asters. Other keen neighbourhood gardeners ditched their grass lawns for shrubs, pollinator flowers, fruit and nut trees, edible plants, and berries. Soon the bees were buzzing and birds flocking to the welcoming environment. To the delight of all there were surpluses resulting in a neighbourhood veggie stand and a seed saver library. People loved the fresh, healthy food and benefited from getting their hands in the soil. Researchers have shown what gardeners have always known: it makes us happier (Tenenbaum, 2020). Gardening also helps to reduce depression, anxiety, and body mass index (Soga et al., 2017), just one more contributing factor to our Green Zone.

A photo of blueberries growing on the bush amongst garlic, rhubarb and many front yard perennials and shrubs. — Sunny Front Yards Can Grow Food

Micro Forests for cooling, storing carbon, and clean air

When we started to get serious about emissions reductions, many of us used parts or all our yards to create micro forests using the Miyawaki Method, which was developed in Japan. The idea is to create optimal conditions to grow mature biodiverse micro forests quickly. This provided incredible climatic benefits to the neighbourhood, sequestering more carbon than trees planted alone, thereby helping us achieve net zero (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2022). We also benefited from the cooling effect forests provide during hot weather, improved soil health from developing an underground fungal network, and habitat for birds and pollinators (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2022). Micro forests also help to filter the air from pollutants that blow in from distant forest fires. Our yards have become thriving green spaces. But up until recently, all the greenery stopped at people’s driveways and the paved street.

Paved streets too hot to live by

Before making changes, the streets got very hot during the extended high heat events (warping and cracking the asphalt pavement), and the storm drainage could not keep up with the long and intense rainstorms. BC Hydro’s overhead wires and poles also were aging rapidly from the extreme weather. The City of Nanaimo introduced a program to use green infrastructure to help soak up stormwater and prevent flooding due to the increased rain (City of Nanaimo, 2022). When the city redid our neighbourhood streets, they replaced failed paved surfaces and overhead services with a smooth, impervious surface but only the center strip. Below-ground services, rain gardens and permeable paving make up either side. Wheeled vehicles (motorized or people-powered) and those needing a smooth surface to wheel walkers or use tactile devices for navigation shared the centre strip. Where cars used to park along the side of the street was replaced with permeable paving with low-growing native plants in the spaces.

Paving that absorbs rain

Permeable paving allows rain to absorb into the soil below and provides a cushion for walking from the low-growing vegetation. Rain gardens were added to the curb to help further slow the rush of surface rainwater down the street. This also helped to filter and decrease the rush of stormwater into the Millstone river, hopefully helping the spawning salmon. We find that stormwater soaking into the ground through the permeable paving and the moisture absorbed by the rain gardens helps to recharge the groundwater and reduce some of the impacts during extended drought periods keeping water available for trees and deep-rooted plants (Capital Regional District, n.d.).

Rain gardens and permeable paving are different esthetic, and some neighbours were not sure about this. But all welcomed the further greening from the additional trees and native plants, thereby helping to cool the street. Now walking or rolling up the road on a hot day is as pleasurable as stepping into the cool forest protecting us from the extreme heat.

A photo of a female pedestrian wearing a cream hat and red daypack on a multi-use path, looking ahead at the trees arching over and plants growing on both sides of the path. — A Cool Inviting Commuter Path on a Residential Street

Tax credits to get rid of paved driveways

The permeable pavement was such a benefit the city started giving tax credits to residents to replace their paved driveways with porous green surfaces (more carbon sequestration). Some neighbours found they did not need a multi-car driveway and went even further by putting in natural ponds and rain gardens to help store water and provide protection from drought. It is pleasing to look at, and one of the neighbours lets the kids swim in their pond. Others put in a small area of permeable paving and added tiny homes to what was once their large driveway, which has helped create diverse housing for our community.

Intergenerational living makes our neighbourhood vibrant

The ReImagine City Plan from 2022 focused on growing within the city limits rather than expanding outward. But the city still needed places for people to live as the population increased—this required planning flexibility for the layout and types of buildings on a typical city lot. People have created suites within their homes, built two homes on one lot, or added tiny dwellings up to two per lot. What this has done in my neighbourhood is allow for intergenerational living.

Aging parents or young adults live in smaller dwellings or accessible suites. In my case, it is all three. Many of my neighbours have their young adult children in tiny homes. Since most of us also want to generate as much food and energy from our properties as possible, most of the dwelling’s surfaces are either green and growing or covered in solar panels.

The extra people living within the neighbourhood have made for a supportive, lively community. The street, once the domain of the gas-fired car, now supports socialization (one neighbour has even set up a coffee kiosk for delicious plant-based baking and drinks), exercise (who wouldn’t want to walk around and visit the gardens, the vegetable stand, or the adjacent park?), and multiple modes of transportation (all have the right of way over the cars which keeps car speeds lower and safer).

Transit, active transportation and EVs transformed how we get around

Transit has become so convenient and much less troublesome than owning a car. People have turned their vehicles in for active transportation, including walking, running, mobility aids, e-bikes, electric kick scooters, and electric skateboards. Depending on the nature of the trip, they can bring their active transport device on the bus with them or store them in the secure storage lockers provided at the bus stops. Self-driving electric vehicle car share apps have allowed people to put their parked EV cars up for others to use when they are not using them. The car drives on its own to pick up the passengers.

EV car share apps are essential for people who cannot participate in active transportation and still need to get around but do not own a car. BC Transit also has cars available on the apps for similar purposes. It is a convenient service as the car picks you up at the appointed time and drops you off at the door of wherever you need to go. There is no need to find parking. The vehicle will wait for you if it is a quick in and out trip. The rest of us have lost weight, feel much happier and enjoy better health from moving our bodies to get around. Plus, the city has exceeded its target to reduce car trips and has all sorts of extra space freed up from where all the cars used to park to build homes, neighbourhood markets, community gardens or micro forests.

Solar panels on everyone’s home

As mentioned above, our neighbourhood produces most of its energy requirements with solar panels on the roof or walls of the various dwellings on their property. We took advantage of the federal government’s interest-free loans and incentives starting in 2022 to install solar on our roofs. Then BC Hydro removed the restriction that we could not produce more power than we used in a year if we had battery storage so that the grid could draw on it when needed. This helped BC Hydro to avoid having to use fossil fuel-fired generation when hydro generation could not meet demand and meant we could offset our unavoidable emissions. Battery backup also helps during power outages. Spent EV car batteries have a second life as our backup battery storage systems, thereby minimizing the environmental impact of storage (Hive Power, 2022).

Recently other neighbours installed a new generation of panels that produce electricity from solar, rain and wind (Zheng et al., 2015). I might add some of those soon as well. Once we started saving money on our energy bills, that helped, along with incentives to pay for additional upgrades. For my house, we added insulation to the roof and attic to get protection from the searing hot sun and the sometimes cold winters. The great thing about solar panels, aside from the free electricity, is they shade the roof’s surface and extend its life span. All this clean energy has reduced the air pollution from gas-fired appliances and gas-powered cars. Many of us noticed a reduction in respiratory illnesses from cleaner air (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2022). Unfortunately, wildfire smoke still moves into the area, which always happens during the hottest weather.

Heat pumps really help

When this happens, all we can do is shelter inside our homes that thanks to the government programs, have helped us all move to heat pumps and high-efficiency filtration on the air supply system, so we are comfortable and safe. Our trees and green growing yards also help. As the micro forests and mature forested parks filter the air, some of us will don our air cleaning respirators to still get out for shorter walks.

What I have noticed about the heat pump is that it is much quieter than my old high-efficiency gas furnace, and my house is always at a comfortable temperature. The air cleaning filter has meant fewer asthma attacks for most of us that suffer (thanks to the various respiratory pandemics of the 2020s and out-of-control wildfire smoke, many more people have problems breathing) and less use of the rescue puffer (Bottrell, 2019). The household energy costs are significantly reduced, and clean energy was an essential step to being net zero.

***

I open my eyes and blink. The sun is already hot and streaming in through the dusty glass. I take my first conscious breath of the morning and detect the smell of forest fire smoke that has been lingering in the air for days. I blink a few more times, frown, and my heart sinks as I quickly try to force myself back to sleep and capture a few more minutes of the lovely green dream. That was a more elaborate dream than usual. Maybe to counteract the grim heat dome and forest fire season that has replaced what we used to call summer. It is not all terrible, but it is challenging. Especially now that there are shortages and an increasing threat of conquest (the Americans want Canada’s water).

I will have to tell my granddaughter, Ruby, about the dream at breakfast. She loves to listen to stories and is a wise soul currently learning Hul’q’umin’um’, an opportunity gifted to all school children from the Snuneymuxw First Nation. She will ask why we didn’t achieve our goals (Monbiot, 2022). Why couldn’t we stop our need for more, more, more? We have all been forced to do with less now but have caused much more damage to ourselves and the environment. It was like being told we had stage 3 liver and lung cancer and continued smoking, drinking, and refusing treatment. What made people want to live foolishly beyond the planet’s capacity to provide for them? I will gaze out the window at the old oak that shades our yard and sigh and say well, Ruby, that is another story.

***

Bibliography and Sources

Allen, M. (2021). Does planting trees in your yard help fight climate change? The Garden Continuum. https://www.thegardencontinuum.com/blog/does-planting-trees-in-your-yard-help-fight-climate-change

Bottrell, J. (2019, July 31.). Are Air Conditioners Good for Asthma? Asthma.Net. https://asthma.net/living/air-conditioning-help

BC Center for Disease Control (2017). Fact sheet: Supporting equity through the built environment. http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Educational%20Materials/EH/BCCDC_equity-fact-sheet_web.pdf

Buettner, D., & Skemp, S. (2016). Blue Zones. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 10(5), 318–321. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827616637066

Capital Regional District. (n.d.). What is a Rain Garden? https://www.crd.bc.ca/education/stormwater-wastewater-septic/green-stormwater-infrastructure/rain-gardens

Chaisson, C. (2021, February 19.). Fossil Fuel Air Pollution Kills One in Five People. NRDC. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuel-air-pollution-kills-one-five-people

Chelsea Green Publishing. (2022). Imagining a Mini-Forest’s Potential: The Miyawaki Method [Review of the book Mini-Forest Revolution, by H. Lewis]. https://www.chelseagreen.com/2022/the-miyawaki-method/

City of Nanaimo (2022, May). City Plan – Nanaimo Reimagined, Executive Summary. https://www.nanaimo.ca/docs/projects/city-plan—executive-summary—2022.06.03.pdf

City of Nanaimo (2022, May). City Plan – Nanaimo Reimagined. https://pub-nanaimo.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=42277

Coastal First Nations. (2010). Forest Carbon Credits – Economic Revenue for Forest Conservation. https://coastalfirstnations.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/CFN-Carbon-Credit-info-brochure-.pdf

Gavurova, B., Rigelsky, M., & Ivankova, V. (2021). Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Health in the Countries of the European Union. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.756652

Hive Power. (2022, February 14). Is Repurposing EV Batteries for Grid Energy Storage a Sustainable Plan? https://www.hivepower.tech//blog/is-recycling-ev-batteries-for-grid-energy-storage-a-sustainable-plan

Hunter, R. F., Cleland, C., Cleary, A., Droomers, M., Wheeler, B. W., Sinnett, D., Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J., & Braubach, M. (2019). Environmental, health, wellbeing, social and equity effects of urban green space interventions: A meta-narrative evidence synthesis. Environment International, 130, 104923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.104923

Kingsley, M. & EcoHealth Ontario. (2019). Commentary – Climate change, health and green space co-benefits. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada: Research, Policy and Practice, 39(4), 131-135. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.39.4.0

Lee, M., Li, B., Maxwell, S. & Shulman, T. (2021). A Zero Waste Agenda for BC. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC and Zero Waste BC. https://policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2021/10/ccpa-bc_Zero-Waste_2021_full.pdf

Lusk, A. C., da Silva Filho, D. F., & Dobbert, L. (2020). Pedestrian and cyclist preferences for tree locations by sidewalks and cycle tracks and associated benefits: Worldwide implications from a study in Boston, MA. Cities, 106, 102111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2018.06.024

Milman, O. (2021, September 13). Meat accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gases from food production, study finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/13/meat-greenhouses-gases-food-production-study

Monbiot, G. (2022, July 6). It’s democracy v plutocracy – this is the endgame for our planet. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/06/power-wealthy-earth-politics-democracy-plutocracy

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (2022). Air Pollution and Your Health. https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/air-pollution/index.cfm

Soga, M., Gaston, K. J., & Yamaura, Y. (2017). Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine Reports, 5, 92–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007

Tenenbaum, L. (2020, January 29). Digging In The Dirt Really Does Make People Happier. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lauratenenbaum/2020/01/29/digging-in-the-dirt-really-does-make-people-happier/

Zheng, L., Cheng, G., Chen, J., Lin, L., Wang, J., Liu, Y., Li, H., & Wang, Z. L. (2015). A Hybridized Power Panel to Simultaneously Generate Electricity from Sunlight, Raindrops, and Wind around the Clock. Advanced Energy Materials, 5(21), 1501152. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201501152

Zimonjic, P. (2021, November 25). Canada’s climate change efforts going from “failure to failure,” says commissioner’s report | CBC News. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/environment-commissioner-report-failure-to-failure-1.6262523

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Climate Communications Content Backed by Research

Leave a Comment / Academic Writing, CALS 502 / Deanna

Overview

The forward-looking narrative Imaging my Green Neighbourhood Twenty Years From Now (Fourt, 2022) envisioned what changes might occur and the health and well-being benefits that might be derived if recent government climate actions are implemented and acted on. The recently approved (July 4, 2022) City of Nanaimo Plan intended to guide the city’s development for the next 24 years was the primary focus of the narrative. The plan’s vision is a resilient green Nanaimo wrapping around and encircling all four of the other goals in the plan (City of Nanaimo, 2022). Community health and well-being are one of the goals a green Nanaimo encircles (City of Nanaimo, 2022). The remaining three goals are equitable access and mobility, reconciliation and inclusion, and a thriving, resilient economy that contributes to health and well-being (Hunter et al., 2019). As a citizen, I wondered what those goals would mean for my neighbourhood. I used the forward-looking narrative to shift from abstract technical concepts outlined in the plan to explore how solutions might be applied and the benefits that would be achieved. Reading the narrative may help citizens envision how the plan could benefit them and their neighbourhood (Hinyard & Kreuter, 2007; Moezzi et al., 2017). Knowing how they will directly benefit may help generate continued support for the long-range plan (Maibach et al., 2011).

I developed the Nanaimo Citizens Climate Action Story Gallery as an alternative to the forward-looking narrative and a different means for people to understand some of the solutions available to them. The story gallery includes short narratives and photos of real people taking action to implement climate change solutions in the community. Research shows that images affect the viewer differently than a narrative and may help readers and viewers connect with the actions described in the narrative (Altinay, 2017). Using images to support the climate action stories is intended to elicit positive emotions, deepen knowledge and provide easy-to-understand pathways for action (Hinyard & Kreuter, 2007; Schroth et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2018). It also assists people with different cognitive abilities in understanding concepts (Altinay, 2017; Merkle, 2019; O’Neill, 2019). Calling this a story gallery means it can become a place to collect and share photo stories of other people’s actions on an ongoing basis.

Access to the narrative and solutions image gallery is enhanced for those with visual impairment and cognitive challenges. For example, images have alt-text for those that use assistive technology for reading. A Practical Handbook on Accessible Graphic Design recommends that “describing the communication intent” (Rallo et al. 2019, p. 38) rather than a literal description is more informative for those accessing alt-text. The handbook also recommends brevity for the alt-text. Readability is enhanced by using an optimal typeface and font size. Spacing, line length, alignment and formatting were also considered. Typefaces such as Calibri or Helvetica must be at a minimum point size of 12 points or larger to enhance legibility. For the visually impaired, the handbook recommends line spacing be “125 to 150% of the font size” (Rallo et al. 2019, p. 29). The space between paragraphs should be 50% greater than that between the lines without indenting. Keeping line length between 45 to 90 characters ensures readability. Too short of a line increases cognitive load, and too long of a line is difficult for those with neck mobility issues. Hyphenated words will be avoided as this can cause confusion for screen readers and increase cognitive load. Further, the text will be kept to smaller, manageable blocks to avoid overwhelming the reader. Headings and anchors will be used to facilitate easy navigation within the piece.

The following is a link to the Nanaimo Citizens Climate Action Story Gallery

References

Altinay, Z. (2017). Visual Communication of Climate Change: Local Framing and Place Attachment. Coastal Management, 45(4), 293–309. https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2017.1327344

Arthurs-Brennan, M. (2022, January 14). 15 benefits of cycling: Why cycling is great for fitness, legs and mind. Cyclingweekly.Com. https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/benefits-of-cycling-334144

BC Care Providers Association (2022, July 22). Ensure safety of seniors ahead of the upcoming heat in B.C. https://bccare.ca/2022/07/ensure-safety-of-seniors-ahead-of-the-upcoming-heat-in-b-c/

Bennett, A., Hatch, C.,& Pike, C. (2021). Climate Messaging that Works, Climate Narrative Initiative, Climate Access. https://climateaccess.org/sites/default/files/Climate%20Messaging%20that%20Works%20-%20Talking%20Energy%20Transition%20and%20Climate%20Change%20in%20Canada.pdf

City of Nanaimo (2022, May). City Plan – Nanaimo Reimagined, Executive Summary. https://www.nanaimo.ca/docs/projects/city-plan—executive-summary—2022.06.03.pdf

City of Nanaimo (2022, May). City Plan – Nanaimo Reimagined. https://pub-nanaimo.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=42277

Fourt, D. (2022). Imaging my Green Neighbourhood Twenty Years From Now [Student paper]. Royal Roads University.

Hinyard, L. J., & Kreuter, M. W. (2007). Using Narrative Communication as a Tool for Health Behavior Change: A Conceptual, Theoretical, and Empirical Overview. Health Education & Behavior, 34(5), 777–792. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198106291963

Maibach, E., Matthew, N.,& Weather, M., (2011) Conveying the Human Implications of Climate Change – A Climate Change Communication Primer for Public Health Professionals. Fairfax, VA: George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication.

Merkle, B. G. (2019). Writing Science: Best Practices for the Images that Accompany Your Writing. The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 100(2), e01536. https://doi.org/10.1002/bes2.1536

Moezzi, M., Janda, K. B., & Rotmann, S. (2017). Using stories, narratives, and storytelling in energy and climate change research. Energy Research & Social Science, 31, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2017.06.034

O’Neill, S. (2019). More than meets the eye: A longitudinal analysis of climate change imagery in the print media. Climatic Change, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-019-02504-8

Rallo, A., Forest, E., Kuo, J., Boutillier, R., & Li, E. (2019). Access Ability 2: A Practical Handbook on Accessible Graphic Design, Revised + Supersized Second Edition. Association of Registered Graphic Designers. https://www.rgd.ca/database/files/library/RGD_AccessAbility2_Handbook_2019_06_01(1).pdf

Schroth, O., Angel, J., Sheppard, S., & Dulic, A. (2014). Visual Climate Change Communication: From Iconography to Locally Framed 3D Visualization. Environmental Communication, 8(4), 413–432. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2014.906478

Tree Canada (n.d.). Calculate Your Carbon Emissions. https://treecanada.ca/carbon-calculator/

Wang, S., Corner, A., Chapman, D., & Markowitz, E. (2018). Public engagement with climate imagery in a changing digital landscape. WIREs Climate Change, 9(2), e509. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.509

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Nanaimo Citizens Climate Action Story Gallery

1 Comment / CALS 502, Story Gallery / Deanna

Welcome to the Nanaimo Citizens Climate Action Story Gallery. Here is a place to tell real stories about real people taking climate action. The climate is changing, and the choices we make in our lives have impacts on the environment. Those choices can also affect how much the climate will continue to change and how well we will endure the resulting extreme weather events. Citizens taking action now are helping the environment and reducing their climate impacts. They are benefiting from better health, saving money and supporting their community.

See page 2 for a story on bicycle commuting, page 3 on installing a heat pump and air filter, page 4 on installing solar panels, and page 5 on starting a seed library. The stories represent a range of options and are told by people of various ages. They are my friends and family, and I am grateful for their willingness to participate in the Climate Action Story Gallery.

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