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‘Committees’, a Promising Institution in Climate Change Communication and Adaptation?

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Handbook of Climate Change Communication: Vol. 2

Part of the book series: Climate Change Management ((CCM))

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Abstract

The paper reflects on modes and chances of Natural Resource Management (NRM) in terms of decentralized executive powers, responsibility and authority in decision taking in the hands of communities and local actors. The argument focuses on the in African development contexts appraised and uniformly referred to political institution of ‘committees’, the floor of climate change communication. Based on qualitative data from pastoralist environments in south Ethiopia the societal impact and set-backs of this institution of nominally participatory agency on the ground is outlined exemplarily. The data analysis indicates that the ‘committee’, deducted from a Western liberal model of democracy, cannot substantiate its claim for equity in communication and according true participation. Subsequently, the Western model is challenged and perspectives towards a multipolar understanding of democracy and democratic communication are opened.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The initiative was conducted by the author and funded by the German Embassy (Climate Fund ‘11).

  2. 2.

    The data was assessed during fieldwork in March 2015.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geography Department, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 166, 53115, Bonn, Germany

    Sabine Tröger

Authors
  1. Sabine Tröger
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Correspondence to Sabine Tröger .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. HAW Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. Department of Forestry and Management, Democritus University of Thrace, Orestiada, Greece

    Evangelos Manolas

  3. Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Anabela Marisa Azul

  4. Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Ulisses M. Azeiteiro

  5. Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Henry McGhie

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Tröger, S. (2018). ‘Committees’, a Promising Institution in Climate Change Communication and Adaptation?. In: Leal Filho, W., Manolas, E., Azul, A., Azeiteiro, U., McGhie, H. (eds) Handbook of Climate Change Communication: Vol. 2. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70066-3_22

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