Building Climate Literacy through a Climate Communication Platform for the Lower Fraser Basin

Abstract

In the age of social media, people are increasingly relying on digital tools as a means of information, education, and participation. There has been growing recognition and discussion regarding the use of social networks to engage communities in climate actions. Many campaigns and initiatives have emerged in recent years which aim to involve individuals closely in the education of this problem. Amid the ongoing climate crisis, the role of climate communication takes centre stage, particularly in the Lower Fraser Basin of British Columbia. Currently, the Lower Fraser Basin lacks an effective comprehensive platform for public engagement and emergency mapping. The urgency of this matter becomes evident as climate change poses a substantial threat to the southern coastal communities of Canada. Despite proven scientific research pointing to the anthropogenic influence on climate change, misinformation and politicization has contributed to a divide in the public lens. Surveys indicate that a majority of people are willing to take action on climate change. There has been a growing use of social networks to engage communities in government actions; however, despite increasing awareness of social networks, there are limited applications in relation to climate policy. This research aims to study climate change communication platforms and its impacts on the dissemination of information, with the aim of building climate literacy. The study will cumulate into a digital communication platform, in which users are able to engage with a spatial toolkit of various infrastructural, meteorological, and community resources in the Lower Fraser Basin through the development of a design framework. Promoting awareness of these strategies will facilitate education on the anthropogenic impacts on our ecosystem, ensuring that communities can continue to enjoy life by the water. Considering the importance of digital platforms in climate communication, this thesis asks: How can synthesizing data on climate causes, risks, and adaptations with meteorological, infrastructural, and ecological information in a climate communication platform enhance climate literacy among residents of the Lower Fraser Basin, particularly in understanding and preparing for region-specific climate challenges?