Top-down maps of sea-level rise can undermine public concern
Based on Matto Mildenberger, Mark Lubell, and Michelle Hummel. 2019. “Personalized risk messaging can reduce climate concerns.” Global Environmental Change
Governments and stakeholders have invested in communicating sea-level rise risks through birds-eye maps of coastal flooding – but this communication approach may inadvertently undermine public risk perceptions.
The Policy Problem
Public risk perceptions are important for issues like sea-level rise, where adaptation may require individual behavior change and strong public buy-in for community planning. As a result, governments and advocates have worked make these risks personally relevant for individuals, including investing in tools to visualize sea-level rise and flooding scenarios at the local level. Examples include the privately-funded “Surging Seas” initiative tool and the “Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer” that was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office for Coastal Management.
Key Findings and Proposed Solutions
Top-down maps of coastal flooding may inadvertently reduce public concern about sea-level rise, particularly among people who accept climate science.
These maps may overemphasize the risk of private property inundation instead of systemic risks to community infrastructure and local economies.
Risk communicators should explore different forms of risk visualization, including highlighting impacts on local infrastructure and public spaces.