5.2. Specific conclusions from innovative examples for practical application

The need for documentation and storytelling at the local level

Acción Ecológica shows how there remains a strong need to document, narrate, capture and record adaptation challenges, techniques and knowledge at the local level. Grassroots know-how needs to be shared and understood. This process of documentation is also an opportunity for local communities to voice their concerns – political, social, personal – at a regional and global level, and can offer an opportunity for these communities to influence policy.

A holistic approach: Appropriate information and knowledge exchange

One World South Asia highlights the importance of appropriate knowledge (or “contextual knowledge”) exchange: that is, information and knowledge that are needed and relevant to local communities, packaged in a way that is meaningful to them, including in an appropriate language, and in a way that takes into account social inhibitors to knowledge (such as the gender divide) and technological gaps. ICTs offer innovative ways of organising information and knowledge and repackaging it organically to meet the requirements of contextual knowledge on climate change. At the same time, all actors participating in BCO emphasise that a holistic approach to information and knowledge sharing needs to be taken, and it needs to be recognised when the most appropriate way of sharing information is off-line, through face-to-face engagement, storytelling or demonstrations, amongst others. Any ICT-based information intervention at the community level needs to map the organic information and knowledge flows in that community before deciding on the most appropriate information strategy.

Raising voices: Community radio at the epicentre of a people-centric climate change response

AMARC shows how community radio can link different spheres of experience, giving voice and value to the experiences and knowledge of local communities. Through proper training and preparedness, community radio has a vital role to play in natural disaster relief and management. In particular, technologies such as mobile phones and the internet can be usefully combined with the reach of community radio to share information and resources and in emergency situations. Any communications initiative dealing with climate change should consider the potential of incorporating community radio into its project goals.

The power of the visual

While community radio offers a “voice” to many, Panos London shows through its participatory video projects how the visual can be a powerful stimulus to action and change – and can be used as an effective lobbying tool. Video offers an exciting way of empowering local communities, some of whom may be illiterate, and breaking down the barriers created through complicated ICTs.

Using the internet as an effective knowledge intervention

Acción Ecológica also shows how the internet can be leveraged as an information resource, learning platform and advocacy tool to empower local communities and mobilise them politically. The development of numerous information resources – for awareness raising and rights orientation, training and political intervention, as well as simply sharing strategies for sustainable livelihoods – are all active ingredients of an online information intervention on climate change at the local level.

Real community ownership and appropriation of technology is possible in combating climate change

The Huaral Valley project in Peru shows that climate change offers a way of leapfrogging the technology divide and stimulating real community ownership of ICTs in a relatively short space of time. This interaction and know-how can be used in other areas, such as health and education.

Information and knowledge sharing around climate change can serve as a catalyst for broader ICT adoption

Huaral Valley also demonstrates the multiple impacts that different kinds of ICT interventions can have in a single community, encouraging innovation, facilitating knowledge sharing, and fostering collaboration between various governmental authorities and local communities. Huaral Valley shows how, in a relatively short space of time, the seed of a “knowledge community” can be planted using ICTs, resulting in know-how and skills development, and the fair sharing of scarce resources.

Meeting the climate change challenge is a process – and an opportunity to confront the deeper human drama of living together cooperatively, peacefully and sustainably in all spheres of human activity. The conscientious and determined use of ICTs to adapt to climate change will have positive implications for all spheres of our lives and the environment.

Go to previous chapter | Go to next chapter | Go to the main publication page