Arousing Public Attention on Sea Level Rise in New Zealand through Art-Science Collaboration

Abstract

In New Zealand, climate scientists predict that climate change-induced sea level rise will have an earlier and greater impact on coastal communities than previously anticipated. In Auckland, the “City of Sails,” Aucklanders’ prize the opportunity to sail on the ocean and live near the beach. However, in 2019 Auckland Council released information that by 2060, a projected increase of 50 cm sea level rise would inundate the homes of 43,000 citizens. If citizens are to safeguard their lifestyles, they need to make effective decisions about how and where they choose to live. While artists are not often qualified to disseminate scientific knowledge, they are able to offer artistic comprehension through aesthetic intelligence, experientiality, and the creation of mental imagery. Building on this position, this chapter explores how an art-science exhibition, Blue Radius, deployed a range of sensorial, emotional, and scientific perspectives to imaginatively engage citizens with the phenomena of climate change-induced sea level rise and present relevant scientific information to assist citizens develop informed decision-making skills.