Abstract
This paper describes an analytical-deliberative process, centered around the RESPECT role-play simulation, conducted to foster the operationalization of comprehensive climate risk management (CRM) in Lienz, southern Austria, a city that is representative of many alpine regions. We hypothesize that fostering social learning via participatory stakeholder engagement processes aids closing prevailing science–policy–implementation gaps in CRM, which are often a result from insufficiently clear roles and responsibilities, diverging stakeholder interests, priorities and risk perceptions, and inexistent or incipient cooperation mechanisms. To test this hypothesis, we co-developed and conducted a role-play simulation centered on riverine-flood risk—the most pressing climate-related risk in the Lienz case-study region. Based on our analysis of qualitative data gathered ex ante and ex post the intervention, we found role-play simulations to have a high potential for fostering social learning in CRM. After taking part, the diverse societal stakeholders were found to better understand: i) the interacting dimensions and drivers of riverine-flood risks; ii) the diverging risk perceptions; and iii) each other’s interests and needs in addressing such risks at the individual and institutional level. Role-play simulations are a promising transdisciplinary method for engaging societal stakeholders beyond traditional policy- and decision-making communities in informed and inclusive public debate around challenges and solutions to CRM. The methodological and practical insights gained in this Austrian case study may be transferred to the management of other climate-related risks.
Highlights
While considerable uncertainties remain regarding the exact contribution of anthropogenic climate change to disaster risk and related impacts, increasing losses from extreme events, both globally and at a national level in Austria, have emphasized the importance of comprehensively addressing climate-related risks (IPCC, 2012, 2014; UNISDR, 2015)
An increased focus is required on linking climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR), leading to what has been broadly termed climate risk management (CRM) (IPCC, 2014)
Some methodological development has occurred with regard to the empirical and modeling analysis of climate-related fiscal risk and its financial implications for different layers of risk. These conceptual and methodological developments have so far not been translated into an operationalization of risk layering in practice through stakeholder engagement processes, at lower governance levels, such as the municipality. Building on this increasing interest in, and need for, broader societal participation in CRM by both research and practice, this paper aims to present insights from a recently concluded transdisciplinary research project, which developed and applied an analy tical–deliberative process, centered around the RESPECT role-play simulation incorporating the notion of risk layering
Summary
While considerable uncertainties remain regarding the exact contribution of anthropogenic climate change to disaster risk and related impacts, increasing losses from extreme events, both globally and at a national level in Austria, have emphasized the importance of comprehensively addressing climate-related risks (IPCC, 2012, 2014; UNISDR, 2015). An increased focus is required on linking climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR), leading to what has been broadly termed climate risk management (CRM) (IPCC, 2014). In 2014 the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC) produced one of the first comprehensive national assessments of climate change worldwide, which showed warming in Austria to be stronger than the global average, leading to increasingly severe risk and the need to upgrade adaptation efforts (APCC, 2014). CRM is a local challenge, but with linkages to decisions at other administrative scales
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