Engaging citizens in climate dialogues is essential to promoting just and inclusive adaptation practices. During the first year of the project, the AGORA team carried out extensive engagement activities with local stakeholders in its four pilot regions. The goal was to better understand the local climate vulnerabilities and identify the social, political, and economic gaps preventing local communities from effectively adapting to a changing climate. Now it is time to fill these gaps with solutions!
In May 2024, the first two focus groups with citizens took place in the pilot region of Dresden, organized and facilitated by the project partner ECSA (European Citizen Science Association). AGORA recognizes the importance of engaging with the social groups most vulnerable to climate change to find solutions that best address and fulfill their needs. Therefore, the first focus groups targeted people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, while the second focus group targeted youth aged 16 to 24 years.
Through these informal conversations among peers, participants were invited to co-create and co-design climate adaptation solutions and to co-evaluate innovative approaches for citizen engagement.
During the first focus group, participants highlighted the diverse impacts of heat waves on their lives, emphasizing that vulnerabilities and disabilities vary widely and cannot be generalized. While some participants were not significantly affected, others struggled greatly with high temperatures, which hindered their ability to work, concentrate, or even leave their homes. A key need identified was ensuring water availability in public spaces, suggesting private operators like restaurants or shops offer water to passers-by. Participants brainstormed an app that maps water availability in the city, along with data on heat exposure and shaded or well-ventilated areas. This would help users find relief and choose the best route to their destination during heatwaves. Moreover, this counter-mapping approach could, by integrating existing and citizen-generated data, promote collaboration among the society in identifying areas that need intervention. Finally, a more extensive awareness campaign was suggested to educate the public on heat-related challenges and promote resilience. The participants expressed a strong interest in participatory decision-making, valuing the inclusion of their opinions in shaping climate adaptation strategies.
During the second focus group with youth, the discussion focused on heavy rains and floods. Despite some participants being too young or not yet born during the major floods of 2003 and 2012 in Dresden, they were well aware of these issues. They expressed a keen interest in actively engaging in preventing and addressing these events, while also acknowledging their limited time due to school obligations. They called for strong political actions and investments to tackle flooding issues, yet also saw themselves as potential agents of change. They suggested that awareness campaigns be integrated into school curricula through expert contributions and hands-on outdoor activities, emphasizing that experiential learning is the most effective way to increase awareness and sensitivity towards the issue. The participants highlighted that a sense of community and the opportunity to engage in activities with friends were significant motivators. They recommended using a buddy system and word-of-mouth promotion to encourage participation, encapsulated in the motto, “Hey, I had a great experience with this initiative – come, let’s do it together again!”. They emphasized that these activities should be spontaneous, easy to undertake, and not too burdensome. Balancing engagement with their free time is crucial for ensuring sustained, healthy involvement. Citizen science activities, such as assembling water level sensors and participating in data collection, were particularly appealing to them.
In conclusion, both focus groups were extremely positive experiences. The atmosphere was friendly and collaborative, and participants felt they were able to contribute meaningfully to the discussions, according to the follow-up evaluation survey. However, some participants expressed skepticism about the real implementation of the solutions discussed. They enthusiastically engaged in co-creating solutions but questioned the point of participating in such debates if they cannot effect change. It is crucial to address these concerns by ensuring that the contributions of participants are taken seriously and implemented. Developing strategies to turn their input into actionable solutions is essential for maintaining continuous and meaningful engagement.
