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Habitability for a connected, unequal and changing world

Sterly, Harald ; Borderon, Marion ; Sakdapolrak, Patrick ; Adger, Neil ; Ayanlade, Ayansina ; Bah, Alassane ; Blocher, Julia ; Blondin, Suzy ; Boly, Sidy and Brochier, Timothée , et al. (2025) In Global Environmental Change 90.
Abstract

As global climate change intensifies, the question of what makes a place habitable or uninhabitable is critical, particularly in the context of a potential future climate outside the realm of lived experience, and the possible concurrent redistribution of populations partly associated with such climatic shifts. The concept of habitability holds the potential for advancing the understanding of the societal consequences of climate change, as well as for integrating systemic understandings and rights-based approaches. However, most ways of analyzing habitability have shortcomings in terms of in-depth integration of socio-cultural aspects and human agency in shaping habitability, in failing to address spatial inequalities and power... (More)

As global climate change intensifies, the question of what makes a place habitable or uninhabitable is critical, particularly in the context of a potential future climate outside the realm of lived experience, and the possible concurrent redistribution of populations partly associated with such climatic shifts. The concept of habitability holds the potential for advancing the understanding of the societal consequences of climate change, as well as for integrating systemic understandings and rights-based approaches. However, most ways of analyzing habitability have shortcomings in terms of in-depth integration of socio-cultural aspects and human agency in shaping habitability, in failing to address spatial inequalities and power dynamics, and in an underemphasis of the connectedness of places. Here we elaborate habitability as an emergent property of the relations between people and a given place that results from people's interactions with the material and immaterial properties of a place. From this, we identify four axes that are necessary to go beyond environmental changes, and to encompass socio-cultural, economic, and political dynamics: First the processes that influence habitability require a systemic approach, viewing habitability as an outcome of ecological, economic, and political processes. Second, the role of socio-cultural dimensions of habitability requires special consideration, given their own operational logics and functioning of social systems. Third, habitability is not the same for everyone, thus a comprehensive understanding of habitability requires an intersectionally differentiated view on social inequalities. Forth, the influence of external factors necessitates a spatially relational perspective on places in the context of their connections to distant places across scales. We identify key principles that should guide an equitable and responsible research agenda on habitability. Analysis should be based on disciplinary and methodological pluralism and the inclusion of local perspectives. Habitability action should integrate local perspectives with measures that go beyond purely subjective assessments. And habitability should consider the role of powerful actors, while staying engaged with ethical questions of who defines and enacts the future of any given place.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Climate change, Connectivity, Culture, Habitability, Inequality, Intersectionality
in
Global Environmental Change
volume
90
article number
102953
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85209911328
ISSN
0959-3780
DOI
10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102953
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9312517e-72d4-44f0-9d5d-3c88955ba561
date added to LUP
2025-02-20 12:58:44
date last changed
2025-05-29 21:04:17
@article{9312517e-72d4-44f0-9d5d-3c88955ba561,
  abstract     = {{<p>As global climate change intensifies, the question of what makes a place habitable or uninhabitable is critical, particularly in the context of a potential future climate outside the realm of lived experience, and the possible concurrent redistribution of populations partly associated with such climatic shifts. The concept of habitability holds the potential for advancing the understanding of the societal consequences of climate change, as well as for integrating systemic understandings and rights-based approaches. However, most ways of analyzing habitability have shortcomings in terms of in-depth integration of socio-cultural aspects and human agency in shaping habitability, in failing to address spatial inequalities and power dynamics, and in an underemphasis of the connectedness of places. Here we elaborate habitability as an emergent property of the relations between people and a given place that results from people's interactions with the material and immaterial properties of a place. From this, we identify four axes that are necessary to go beyond environmental changes, and to encompass socio-cultural, economic, and political dynamics: First the processes that influence habitability require a systemic approach, viewing habitability as an outcome of ecological, economic, and political processes. Second, the role of socio-cultural dimensions of habitability requires special consideration, given their own operational logics and functioning of social systems. Third, habitability is not the same for everyone, thus a comprehensive understanding of habitability requires an intersectionally differentiated view on social inequalities. Forth, the influence of external factors necessitates a spatially relational perspective on places in the context of their connections to distant places across scales. We identify key principles that should guide an equitable and responsible research agenda on habitability. Analysis should be based on disciplinary and methodological pluralism and the inclusion of local perspectives. Habitability action should integrate local perspectives with measures that go beyond purely subjective assessments. And habitability should consider the role of powerful actors, while staying engaged with ethical questions of who defines and enacts the future of any given place.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sterly, Harald and Borderon, Marion and Sakdapolrak, Patrick and Adger, Neil and Ayanlade, Ayansina and Bah, Alassane and Blocher, Julia and Blondin, Suzy and Boly, Sidy and Brochier, Timothée and Brüning, Loïc and Bunchuay-Peth, Simon and O'Byrne, David and Safra De Campos, Ricardo and Nii Ardey Codjoe, Samuel and Debève, Florian and Detges, Adrien and Franco-Gavonel, Maria and Hathaway, Claire and Funke, Nikki and Gemenne, François and Gubert, Flore and Gurmu, Eshetu and Keeton, Rachel and Ketsomboon, Boonthida and Leroy, Marie and Majidi, Nassim and Marchisio, Sergio and Abu, Mumuni and Naruchaikusol, Sopon and Negozio, Francesco and Nicolle, Hervé and Nucera, Gianfranco and Olsson, Lennart and Owuor, Jared and Ozer, Pierre and Piguet, Etienne and Reckien, Diana and Redicker, Sarah and Andreolla Serraglio, Diogo and Sultan, Benjamin and Tänzler, Dennis and Vigil, Sara and Vinke, Kira and Zantout, Karim and Zickgraf, Caroline}},
  issn         = {{0959-3780}},
  keywords     = {{Climate change; Connectivity; Culture; Habitability; Inequality; Intersectionality}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Global Environmental Change}},
  title        = {{Habitability for a connected, unequal and changing world}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102953}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102953}},
  volume       = {{90}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}