On October 30, 2019, the second informal workshop on "Social aspects of climate change, climate policy and heat islands" took place.
Around 30 participants from the fields of research and administration gathered on the premises of the Climate and Energy Fund to discuss the above-mentioned topic and exchange information. After brief welcoming remarks by DI Ingmar Höbarth (Climate and Energy Fund), Dr. Barbara Kronberger-Kießwetter (BMNT) and Dr. Isabella Uhl-Hädicke (CCCA Board, University of Salzburg), the dialogue began with two short kick-off presentations by renowned scientists with relevant expertise. On the one hand, Dr. Ulli Weisz from the Institute of Social Ecology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences gave an informative lecture on the topic of "Social Aspects of Climate Change - Heat". This was followed by Prof. Daniel Barben from the Institute for Technology and Science Studies at the University of Klagenfurt on the topic of "Social Aspects of Climate Policy".
The participants then exchanged views on the topics of heat islands (including social aspects), social aspects of climate change and social aspects of climate policy.
The following questions were discussed:
- On which topics and for which needs does the administration require input from research?
- What relevant research results are already available or what expertise is already directly accessible?
- How can the available results be made usable for the administration?
Conclusion
Final round and reflection - What would I like to work on further?
Administration:
- Emphasize social aspects in the department
- Integrate what we have heard into the working group
- Review climate-damaging subsidies in countries too
- Increase exchange between AK and CCCA
- Incorporate social dimension into climate check
- More target group-specific/concrete dialog formats
Science:
- Communicate research results well
- Stronger external communication
- Prepare/disseminate existing information attractively
- Communicate knowledge in such a way that it can be implemented
- Communicate knowledge even better to administration, politics and society
- Discussion in the CCCA on the question “What can science afford?”
- Consider different time dimensions of different groups
Translation work and networking:
- Focus on translation work from science to administration (incl. findings on acceptance)
- Be even more of a translator for administration and politics
- Format to bring both sides (administration and research) together despite time pressure (possibly videos)
- Use CCCA services (newsletter)
- Use CCCA competence map
- Maintain contacts with people for workshops
- Create a structure that covers all stakeholders on climate change and health
Need for further research:
- Focus on "dark side" (losers, ...)
- Research on time dimensions
- Research on social blockades in climate policy (see researchers as scientific citizens)
- Geoengineering as an important topic in research
- Research on social impact
- Social partnership and climate policy