Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The latest IPCC report on climate change from October 2018 highlights an urgent need for climate change mitigation on all sectors of the society, including that of an individual citizen. This research looks at how participation in a constructed facilitated dialogue can affect in creating understanding of the societal changes needed to mitigate climate change, whether this can influence individuals' willingness and perceived ability in taking action and hence provide a possible tool for bridging the value-action gap between environmental values and pro-environmental behaviour. The study builds on qualitative material from 10 semi-structured interviews from a case study studying the Timeout Day dialogue on climate change organized in Finland in January 2019 by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.
In the context of this study the concept of dialogue is understood as a form of collaborative communication, creating understanding and thinking together. Whether participation in a facilitated public dialogue such as that of Timeout Day can strengthen one's self-confidence as an active citizen and trust towards the system is in this study analysed through the concepts of agency, locus of control and trust.
Results show that dialogue as a tool awakened curiosity and excitement and the demand for a more constructive discussion culture was clearly present. There was a strong will and need to discuss climate change, to do something and find solutions together. Dialogue was experienced to strenghten one's agency through a mutual feeling of empowerment, hence strengthening the individuals' willingness in changing behaviour through trust towards collective action. However, for dialogue to have full potential in bridging the value-action gap, there needs to be a continuum for the process. Mutual experience sharing and "peersupport" could be used more and become a successful tool in overcoming the gap. This refers to high levels of trust towards collective action strengthening one's own agency and ability to take action.