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Title: Perceptions of risk among households in two Australian coastal communities

Abstract

There is limited knowledge of risk perceptions in coastal communities despite their vulnerability to a range of risks including the impacts of climate change. A survey of 400 households in two Australian coastal communities, combined with semi-structured interviews, provides insight into household perceptions of the relative importance of climatic and non-climatic risks and the subsequent risk priorities that may inform household adaptive action. In contrast to previous research, the results demonstrated that geographic location and household characteristics might not affect perceptions of vulnerability to environmental hazards. However, past experience was a significant influence, raising the priority of environmental concerns. Overall, the results highlight the priority concerns of coastal households (from finance, to health and environment) and suggest to increase the profile of climate issues in coastal communities climate change strategies need to better demonstrate links between climate vulnerability and other household concerns. Moreover, promoting generic capacities in isolation from understanding the context in which households construe climate risks is unlikely to yield the changes required to decrease the vulnerability of coastal communities.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs (Australia)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1265516
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Geographical Research
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 53; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1745-5863
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; climate change; coastal communities; adaptation; risk perception; vulnerable; hazard; environment

Citation Formats

Elrick-Barr, Carmen E., Smith, Timothy F., Thomsen, Dana C., and Preston, Benjamin L. Perceptions of risk among households in two Australian coastal communities. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1111/1745-5871.12106.
Elrick-Barr, Carmen E., Smith, Timothy F., Thomsen, Dana C., & Preston, Benjamin L. Perceptions of risk among households in two Australian coastal communities. United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.12106
Elrick-Barr, Carmen E., Smith, Timothy F., Thomsen, Dana C., and Preston, Benjamin L. Mon . "Perceptions of risk among households in two Australian coastal communities". United States. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.12106. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1265516.
@article{osti_1265516,
title = {Perceptions of risk among households in two Australian coastal communities},
author = {Elrick-Barr, Carmen E. and Smith, Timothy F. and Thomsen, Dana C. and Preston, Benjamin L.},
abstractNote = {There is limited knowledge of risk perceptions in coastal communities despite their vulnerability to a range of risks including the impacts of climate change. A survey of 400 households in two Australian coastal communities, combined with semi-structured interviews, provides insight into household perceptions of the relative importance of climatic and non-climatic risks and the subsequent risk priorities that may inform household adaptive action. In contrast to previous research, the results demonstrated that geographic location and household characteristics might not affect perceptions of vulnerability to environmental hazards. However, past experience was a significant influence, raising the priority of environmental concerns. Overall, the results highlight the priority concerns of coastal households (from finance, to health and environment) and suggest to increase the profile of climate issues in coastal communities climate change strategies need to better demonstrate links between climate vulnerability and other household concerns. Moreover, promoting generic capacities in isolation from understanding the context in which households construe climate risks is unlikely to yield the changes required to decrease the vulnerability of coastal communities.},
doi = {10.1111/1745-5871.12106},
journal = {Geographical Research},
number = 2,
volume = 53,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Mon Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

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