Searching for Meaning: Interpreting Messages About Climate Change Adaptation in Focus Groups

Abstract

As the climate continues to change, adaptation to climate change has become an increasingly central societal issue, alongside mitigation. In this article, I focus on examining citizens’ interpretations of climate communication that addresses adaptation to climate change. The motivation of the article lies in highlighting the importance of recognizing the different ways of interpreting communication related to adaptation, as this type of communication represents a relatively new perspective on climate issues from the mainstream viewpoint. The empirical data for the article is drawn from focus group discussions (n=6) conducted in the beginning of 2024, during which I presented four fictional examples of the city’s adaptation communication to the participants (n=30). The discussion material was analysed using theory-driven content analysis, based on definition by Wirth and colleagues (2014), which suggested that the objectives of adaptation communication are understood as increasing awareness of the consequences of climate change, the need for adaptation and of ways to adapt, as well as promoting activity aimed at adaptation. Based on the results, I propose that the goal of adaptation communication should also include meaning-making, particularly with regard to the role and significance of adaptation in climate work.