Climate Collaboratorium: Co-creation of Applied Theatre Decision Labs for Exploring Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Andreas Hartmann; Professorin Dr. Sina Leipold
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research ; Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Limnology, Urban Water Management, Water Chemistry, Integrated Water Resources Management
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 539483558

Climate change is having a detrimental impact on the physical and socioeconomic systems that are crucial for the well-being of vulnerable groups living in flood-prone and water insecure regions worldwide. The growing complexity and unpredictability of river system water flow regimes, quantity, and quality caused by climatechange are impacting those living upstream and downstream. Currently, there is a gap in ways to blend scientific knowledge of the physical effects of climate change as measured through tools and modeling advancements, and the local knowledge of vulnerable communities about the available and success ofmitigation and adaptation options. A part of this gap is in activated bias intervention. Moreover, this knowledge gap has not been integrated into the socioeconomic systems that drive place-based actions for climate mitigation and adaptation, especially in vulnerable communities. Many vulnerable communities, suchas Indigenous, coastal, urban elder and youth populations, and those downstream of mine closures, are struggling for water security which generally means the right amount of water of sufficient quality at the right time and place. The objective of this collaboration is to use design thinking workshops facilitated with bias and inclusivity experts to co-develop adaptation and mitigation options based on salient place-based climate change scenarios. The scenarios and mitigation options will become plot points in applied theatre productions where audiences will decide on preferred actions and thereby direct the outcome of the play. Design thinkingharnesses the knowledge and insights from users of a service to prototype solutions to a problem and typically involves three phases: Inspiration (Empathize and Define), Ideation (Prototype and Collaborate) and Implementation (Test and Deliver). Blending design thinking, applied theatre, natural and climate science, withsocially engaged researchers will create four novel touring plays in water insecure regions. Our design thinking workshops and the plays will be embedded with social science tools to capture, analyze, and enhance the coproduction of new knowledge such as bespoke scenarios, and place-based adaptation and mitigation options to be shared with policy makers in each region. The applied theatre will bring audiences into decision spaces where they consider a range of locally relevant options for mitigation and adaptation to enhance water security in their local watersheds.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Canada, United Kingdom, USA
• Cooperation Partners: Professorin Lori Bradford; Professor Dr. David Kaye; Professorin Dr. Lindsey McEwen; Professor Dr. Graham Strickert
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Zhao Chen