Place Attachment and Climate-Related Hazards in Small Remote Communities in the Nordic Countries
(2025) In Regional Environmental Change 25(109).- Abstract
- Global climate change is characterized by increasing and differentiated exposure to climate-related hazards such as floods, landslides, avalanches, storms, and wildfires (IPCC 2018, 2022). There is a significant volume of research on the effects of such events, and over the last decade, much of this research has been directed at where most lives and values can be saved by protective measures (e.g., Heikkinen et al. 2020; Dodman et al. 2022). However, there is less knowledge about how small and remote communities in the Nordic countries are affected by, perceive, and deal with the effects of a changing climate with increasing hazard exposure (Næss and Solli 2013). This Topical Collection focuses on such communities given that they also face... (More)
- Global climate change is characterized by increasing and differentiated exposure to climate-related hazards such as floods, landslides, avalanches, storms, and wildfires (IPCC 2018, 2022). There is a significant volume of research on the effects of such events, and over the last decade, much of this research has been directed at where most lives and values can be saved by protective measures (e.g., Heikkinen et al. 2020; Dodman et al. 2022). However, there is less knowledge about how small and remote communities in the Nordic countries are affected by, perceive, and deal with the effects of a changing climate with increasing hazard exposure (Næss and Solli 2013). This Topical Collection focuses on such communities given that they also face climate-related hazards and in ways that cannot be solved with the same approaches as those in cities—since such approaches are not directly transferable for several reasons, such as available funding for robust infrastructure and mitigation measures as well as limited access to emergency services (Amundsen 2014; Baron 2020).
In national and international political debates about climate change, some argue that climate-related risks could be eliminated by relocating the communities (Warner et al. 2013; UNHCR 2014; Nalau and Handmer 2018). When such arguments are proposed, they are often met with strong opposition from people in the affected local communities (Bonaiuto et al. 2016). This is unsurprising for many reasons, including that relocation also carries many risks and obstacles (Matti et al. 2023) and that relocation programs have been used to harm and oppress marginalized communities (see Lantto 2014). Studies of climate adaptation in small and remote communities benefit from understanding why people live where they do. This is important not only to understand better resistance against relocation from areas with high exposure to risk but also because an understanding of people’s ties to a place can provide a better insight into local risk perceptions and practices for dealing with hazards.
The argument of the papers in this Topical Collection takes its starting point in the assumption that research can be designed to provide concrete support to small and remote communities on how they can prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from events and engage in political advocacy to expand on their capacities when local initiatives are insufficient (see also Waugh 2012; Cox and Hamlen 2015). The challenges related to climate change adaptation are complex and associated with natural processes as well as with social aspects. Hence, an interdisciplinary approach that integrates perspectives from natural and social sciences is required. The presented papers build on a multi-layered research approach that focuses on developing the capacity to deal with hazards in small communities, which are characterized by their remoteness. The papers limit their argument to the Nordic countries, since these countries share histories of welfare state models and are therefore largely comparable in the form of their public support systems and the citizens’ overall trust in the state (Esping-Andersen 1990, 2015).
The papers in this Topical Collection were developed as a part of the “Climate Change Resilience in Small Communities in the Nordic Countries” (CliCNord—www.clicnord.org) research project, which aims to understand the effects of climate change on small communities in the Nordic countries. The project was initiated due to the limited knowledge about how small remote communities experience, perceive, and deal with the effects of a changing climate on themselves and on the ways that society can support their way of life. By collecting accounts and experiences about extreme events (floods, pluvial flooding, wildfires, landslides, flash floods, avalanches, and storms) or impacts (basal ice formation) that have affected communities in remote parts of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands (Fig. 1), the project aims to improve our understanding of how these communities have coped so far and perceive their present and future ability to cope with these changes. (Less)
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- 10.1007/s10113-025-02441-6
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@article{806ecf70-f2da-41b8-a1f5-d79bf5a4c464,
abstract = {{Global climate change is characterized by increasing and differentiated exposure to climate-related hazards such as floods, landslides, avalanches, storms, and wildfires (IPCC 2018, 2022). There is a significant volume of research on the effects of such events, and over the last decade, much of this research has been directed at where most lives and values can be saved by protective measures (e.g., Heikkinen et al. 2020; Dodman et al. 2022). However, there is less knowledge about how small and remote communities in the Nordic countries are affected by, perceive, and deal with the effects of a changing climate with increasing hazard exposure (Næss and Solli 2013). This Topical Collection focuses on such communities given that they also face climate-related hazards and in ways that cannot be solved with the same approaches as those in cities—since such approaches are not directly transferable for several reasons, such as available funding for robust infrastructure and mitigation measures as well as limited access to emergency services (Amundsen 2014; Baron 2020).<br/><br/>In national and international political debates about climate change, some argue that climate-related risks could be eliminated by relocating the communities (Warner et al. 2013; UNHCR 2014; Nalau and Handmer 2018). When such arguments are proposed, they are often met with strong opposition from people in the affected local communities (Bonaiuto et al. 2016). This is unsurprising for many reasons, including that relocation also carries many risks and obstacles (Matti et al. 2023) and that relocation programs have been used to harm and oppress marginalized communities (see Lantto 2014). Studies of climate adaptation in small and remote communities benefit from understanding why people live where they do. This is important not only to understand better resistance against relocation from areas with high exposure to risk but also because an understanding of people’s ties to a place can provide a better insight into local risk perceptions and practices for dealing with hazards.<br/><br/>The argument of the papers in this Topical Collection takes its starting point in the assumption that research can be designed to provide concrete support to small and remote communities on how they can prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from events and engage in political advocacy to expand on their capacities when local initiatives are insufficient (see also Waugh 2012; Cox and Hamlen 2015). The challenges related to climate change adaptation are complex and associated with natural processes as well as with social aspects. Hence, an interdisciplinary approach that integrates perspectives from natural and social sciences is required. The presented papers build on a multi-layered research approach that focuses on developing the capacity to deal with hazards in small communities, which are characterized by their remoteness. The papers limit their argument to the Nordic countries, since these countries share histories of welfare state models and are therefore largely comparable in the form of their public support systems and the citizens’ overall trust in the state (Esping-Andersen 1990, 2015).<br/><br/>The papers in this Topical Collection were developed as a part of the “Climate Change Resilience in Small Communities in the Nordic Countries” (CliCNord—www.clicnord.org) research project, which aims to understand the effects of climate change on small communities in the Nordic countries. The project was initiated due to the limited knowledge about how small remote communities experience, perceive, and deal with the effects of a changing climate on themselves and on the ways that society can support their way of life. By collecting accounts and experiences about extreme events (floods, pluvial flooding, wildfires, landslides, flash floods, avalanches, and storms) or impacts (basal ice formation) that have affected communities in remote parts of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands (Fig. 1), the project aims to improve our understanding of how these communities have coped so far and perceive their present and future ability to cope with these changes.}},
author = {{Kongsager, Rico and Baron, Nina and Harnesk, David and Kokorsch, Matthias and Heidenreich, Sara and Eriksson, Kerstin and Nedergaard, Mikkel and Vermina Plathner, Frida and Sjöström, Johan and Næss, Robert and de Korte, Laurien and Gisladottir, Johanna and Quinn, Tara}},
issn = {{1436-3798}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{08}},
number = {{109}},
publisher = {{Springer Science and Business Media B.V.}},
series = {{Regional Environmental Change}},
title = {{Place Attachment and Climate-Related Hazards in Small Remote Communities in the Nordic Countries}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10113-025-02441-6}},
doi = {{10.1007/s10113-025-02441-6}},
volume = {{25}},
year = {{2025}},
}