Paper short abstract:

This paper argues that anthropologists are well placed to investigate the role of cultural practices, social contexts and ethical considerations in enabling communities and individuals to respond effectively and humanely to the potentially catastrophic consequences of those global climatic changes that most scientists now hold to be inevitable (Parry et al., 2007). This is illustrated with examples of research pertinent to Australia and the Southeast Asia-Pacific Region.

Paper long abstract:

Anthropologists are well placed to investigate the role of cultural practices, social contexts and ethical considerations in enabling communities and individuals to respond effectively and humanely to the potentially catastrophic consequences of global climatic changes (Parry 2007). This paper provides a model for, and examples of, anthropological research on climate change adaptations. General questions anthropologists are able to address include: 1) How moral considerations need to be incorporated into climate change policies; 2) How such moral considerations are framed within earlier representations of natural or environmental disaster; 3) How such culturally mediated moral considerations inform how communities in our region are already responding to early climate change impacts. These questions highlight the knowledge gap that needs to filled by bringing the 'ecological humanities' (Griffiths, 2007) to bear on the problem of climate change adaptation. Within our region, and on a more practical level, some of the most pressing questions anthropologists can address include 1) how communities in rural Australia are preparing to face this challenge and how they can best be supported in this. 2) How Pacific nations are responding to displacement due to rising sea levels, and 3) How Southeast Asian nations are responding to climate-change related pressures to revise forestry and agricultural policies as well as dealing with the potential displacement of millions of people who live in low-lying coastal cities or prime agricultural areas. The paper draws on the preliminary findings of a collaborative project (Reuter, Lynch, Rigby, Millner, Rose, Broderick and Williams) on climate change adaptation.