Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
framework to identify the broad level factors constraining adaptive capacity and
increasing sensitivity to climate change. Determinants identified include the fol-
lowing: poverty, technological capacity constraints, socio-political values and
inequality, institutional capacity challenges, and information deficit. The magni-
tude and nature of these determinants will be distributed unevenly within and
between Aboriginal populations necessitating place-based and regional-level
studies to examine how these broad factors will affect vulnerability at lower levels.
The study also supports the need for collaboration across all sectors and levels of
government, open and meaningful dialogue between policy makers, scientists,
health professionals, and Aboriginal communities, and capacity building at a local
level, to plan for climate change. Ultimately, however, efforts to reduce the
vulnerability of Aboriginal Canadians to climate change and intervene to prevent,
reduce and manage climate-sensitive health outcomes will fail unless the
broader determinants of socio-economic and health inequality are addressed
(Ford et al.
2010
).
In the United States, public support for federal, state and local efforts to reduce
GHGs continues to be a crucial element of the political viability of these proposals.
Shwom et al. (
2010
) present a detailed analysis of the reasons given by the general
public of Michigan and Virginia for supporting or rejecting a number of policies
that could be implemented to meet GHG reductions. The data allow us to analyse
the relationships between reasons provided by respondents, social psychological
and demographic characteristics and policy support. This analysis can provide
policymakers pragmatic guidance in (1) developing tactics to engage the public
that build on current concerns about climate change policies and (2) crafting and
communicating policies that garner support from various segments of the public.
This analysis also raises theoretical questions regarding the relationship between
public discourse on environmental issues and the formation of public policy
support. Shwom et al. (
2010
) suggest that future efforts to understand the U.S.
dynamics of public support for climate change policies could benefit from
understanding the public discursive and the reasoning processes that underlie
public opinion formation (Shwom et al.
2010
).
Anti-coal and some investment policies are widely justified with reference to
global warming. Political analysis suggests that these policies are supported by the
reinforcing interests of three powerful lobbies: scientific institutions engaged in
atmospheric research and earth observation, energy corporations harmed by low
fossil fuel prices or supplying 'clean' technologies, and numerous interlocking
bureaucracies. Together they have succeeded in maintaining momentum in current
climate negotiations (Boehmer-Christiansen
1997
).
3.1.3 Climate Mobility Social and Civil Conflicts
The Climate change can increase societies' propensity to conflict by changes in
socio-structural conditions (e.g. resource scarcity and migration). Climate change
is expected to bring about major change in freshwater availability, the productive
