ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University Townsville
Queensland 4811 Australia
Phone: 61 7 4781 4000
Email: info@coralcoe.org.au
A James Cook University scientist is investigating how people’s social networks prompt them to take action on climate change – or discourage them from doing so – in an attempt to help communities and government adapt in response to calamitous predictions of global warming.
Dr Michele Barnes, Research Fellow at JCU’s ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, is leading the project.
Dr Barnes said that the relationships we have with others – our social networks – can profoundly influence our behaviour and our capacity for action.
“What our friends and acquaintances think, say and do can have important effects on our thoughts and actions. Yet while these connections can be reliably mapped, understanding how they prompt action in response to climate change is still in its infancy.”
“It’s usually assumed that capacity to act automatically translates into action, but that’s not necessarily true. So, I’m aiming to uncover the key social factors that help or hinder action. This will be the first study to track individuals and a governance institution both before and after a coral bleaching event,” she said.
The research will focus on the Great Barrier Reef and communities based around reefs in Kenya.
“The project will significantly improve our understanding of how adaptive capacity – the ability of a system to adapt when its environment is changing – translates into adaptive action, or how it fails to do that.”
Dr Barnes said that even under the most optimistic greenhouse gas emissions scenario from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the future of biodiversity and ecosystems is under serious threat and that researchers needed to look at how both people and institutions will react.
“Considering the scope and intensity of climate change, it’s vital people can make informed decisions to reduce their vulnerability. Likewise, building flexible governance institutions with the capacity to adapt is crucial.”
Dr Barnes said national and local governments, development agencies, and non-governmental organisations urgently need the knowledge the research will produce.
“Without a thorough understanding of what aspects of social networks translate into adaptive action, and the role of powerful groups and individuals in shaping these outcomes, their efforts risk being unproductive or harmful,” she said.
Dr Barnes has been awarded $370,000 for the three-year project through an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award.
Contact: Dr Michele Barnes (Dr Barnes works at JCU’S Townsville campus).
M: +61 408 677 570
P: +61 (07) 4781 6328
E: michele.barnes@jcu.edu.au
Scientists say outdated assumptions around gender continue to hinder effective and fair policymaking and action for climate mitigation and adaptation. Lead author of a new study, Dr Jacqueline Lau
For the first time, scientists have assessed how many corals there are in the Pacific Ocean—and evaluated their risk of extinction. While the answer to “how many coral species are there?” is
Scientists have discovered a never-before-seen biodiversity pattern of coral reef fishes that suggests some fishes might be exceptionally vulnerable to environmental change. A new study shows plank
Scientists say stable seafood consumption amongst the world’s poorer coastal communities is linked to how local habitat characteristics influence fishing at different times of the year. In the co
Abstract: The vast majority of reef fishes have a life history consisting of a pelagic larval phase of typically 20 to 60 days, followed by larval settlement where they remain through their juvenile a
Abstract: Social networks have been and remain important across the Pacific Islands, and beyond, for building and maintaining social-ecological resilience. However, there is little quantitative infor
Abstract: The global conservation community is comprised of a range of organisations, processes, and professionals. Given the diversity of these actors, and the complexity of the systems that conser
Abstract: Seasons create a rhythm in nature and, by extension, in the lives of people who depend directly on natural resources. However, our understanding of how seasons affect the ways that people
Abstract: Oceanic shark populations have declined 77% over the past 60 years as a result of overexploitation in fisheries. However, sustainable shark management is limited to a few developed nations
Abstract: Vertigo3 is a new class of small, fast and agile ‘true-flight’ underwater glider, purposely designed for robotic, artificial intelligence-assisted broadscale marine surveys, and capable
Abstract: Recurrent marine heat waves are leading to widespread coral bleaching, transforming the structure and function of tropical coral reefs. Past bleaching events have highlighted large variatio
Abstract: Shallow-water tropical seascapes typically include a range of habitat types such as coral reefs, mangroves, macroalgal and seagrass beds. These habitats can occur in close proximity and are
Partner Research Institutions
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University Townsville
Queensland 4811 Australia
Phone: 61 7 4781 4000
Email: info@coralcoe.org.au
