Community Resilience and Climate Change: The Case of Three Mexican Locations
Edgar J. González-Gaudiano, Ana-Lucía Maldonado-González
Abstract
This paper shows the adaptation to climate change (CC) in localities with frequent exposure to hydro
meteorological phenomena. A questionnaire was applied into representative samples in three Mexican localities.
Social representation was the approach with a special interest of the community resilience. A majority recognize
the responsibility of the human activity on CC. Nevertheless, the disasters are adjudged mainly to natural causes,
only thirty percent recognized themselves as "guilty"; whereas more than half recognized themselves as "victim"
of the disaster and the authorities when the measures of prevention are not enough. Some habitants consider
changing their place of residence. Others look to collaborate with local authorities in a diagnostic program to
construct preventive information; also collaborate in processes of reconstruction of the community, among other
actions of community participation. Some practical implications are in the design of strategies of communication
and environmental education, as well as a public policy more preventive than reactive.
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