The resilience paradox: flooding experience, coping and climate change mitigation intentions

Charles A Ogunbode,Gisela Böhm,Stuart B Capstick,Christina Demski,Alexa Spence,Nicole Tausch

doi:10.1080/14693062.2018.1560242

Abstract

ABSTRACTClimate change is projected to increase the frequency, intensity and unpredictability of extreme weather events across the globe and these events are likely to have significant mental health implications. The mental health literature broadly characterises negative emotional reactions to extreme weather experiences as undesirable impacts on wellbeing. Yet, other research in psychology suggests that negative emotional responses to extreme weather are an important motivation for personal action on climate change. This article addresses the intersection of mental health and functional perspectives on negative emotions, with a specific focus on the potential that reduced negative emotional responses to extreme weather may also translate to diminished motivation to undertake climate change mitigation actions – which we term the ‘resilience paradox’. Using survey data gathered in the aftermath of severe flooding across the UK in winter 2013/2014, we present new evidence indicating that self-appraised coping ability moderates the link between flooding experience and negative emotions and thereby attenuates the indirect link between flooding experience and climate change mitigation intentions. We conclude that support for flood victims should extend beyond addressing emotional, physical and financial stresses to include acknowledgement of the involvement of climate change and communication of the need for action to combat future climate risks.Key policy insightsPsychological resilience to flooding and other extreme weather events can translate to diminished motivation to mitigate climate changeNegative emotional reactions need to occur at an optimal level to enable people to respond appropriately to climate risks.Flood victims’ subjective appraisal of their ability to cope does not necessarily encompass consideration of the role played by climate change. Therefore, support for victims of extreme weather should include explicit acknowledgement of the involvement of climate change and the need for action to mitigate future climate risks.

Highlights

This article tackles a paradox in building resilience to the psychological or mental health impacts of extreme weather and climate change
We propose that if psychological resilience to extreme weather is conceived of in the narrow sense of reduced negative emotional responses, this may be at odds with the goal of climate change mitigation because it implies a reduction of the emotion-driven motivation to undertake mitigation actions
These observations are in line with an expectation that negative emotional reactions to extreme weather events decline with increased coping capacity or resilience

Summary

Introduction

This article tackles a paradox in building resilience to the psychological or mental health impacts of extreme weather and climate change. The present analysis examines how resilience to plausible climate change impacts, extreme weather, is likely to affect people’s drive to mitigate climate change. The mental health impacts of extreme weather and climate change Extreme weather events are expected to increase in frequency, intensity and unpredictability due to climate change (Seneviratne et al, 2012). These events are likely to have negative mental health implications through economic, social and environmental disruptions, and through the psychological distress and anxiety that may come with acknowledging climate change as a global environmental threat (Cunsolo & Ellis, 2018; Fritze, Blashki, Burke, & Wiseman, 2008). This article focuses on flooding, an extreme weather event occurring around the world which will be exacerbated in many places by climate change (Hirabayashi et al, 2013)

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