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In a recent report published in Frontiers in Communication, researchers explain that discussing climate change in the context of caring for others and working together to find solutions might have a powerful impact on England’s elder population.
Briony Latter, a recent graduate of the MA Climate Change: History, Culture, and Society programme, conducted the research, which brought together over 65s from throughout England to debate narratives surrounding climate change. Due to the ageing of the population in the United Kingdom, and the fact that persons over 65 account for the largest proportion of voters, the paper recognises the critical role that older people might play in combating climate change.
When it comes to climate change, the older individuals who participated in the survey believe that it is critical to bring communities together in order to make good changes, and that there should be a strong emphasis on environmental protection.
More focus should be placed on who should bear responsibility for climate change, and while there is debate among people of all ages about who is to blame and who should take action, others acknowledge that they have the ability to effect good change on their own.
When it comes to addressing climate change and how to solve it, the findings of the study revealed that there are four major issues that older people believe are the most significant. These were thoughtfulness and duty, community, power, and a global perspective, to name a few concepts.
“Even while there has been a great deal of attention paid to the younger generation in recent years, there has been far less attention paid to the elder age, despite the vital role they may play and the negative effects that climate change will have on their lives. As a result, it is critical that we have a better grasp of how to engage this population while we are discussing climate change “Briony Latter expresses herself as follows:
Latter’s study was carried out as part of her MA dissertation, and it was recognised with the King’s Best Thesis Award in 2018 for its excellence. As a PhD researcher at Cardiff University’s Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), she focuses on public participation, academic culture and practises in the context of climate emergency, and she has previously worked at the University of California, Berkeley.
More information: Briony Latter, Climate Change Communication and Engagement With Older People in England, Frontiers in Communication (2022). DOI: 10.3389/fcomm.2022.848671
Source: King’s College London
