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LINGCLIM: Language, climate and lifestyle
conference

Living with Climate Change

International, cross-disciplinary conference in Bergen 8–9 May 2023. #ClimlifeBergen

Personer leker med små jordkloder på et jorde
CLIMATE CHANGE: While there is broad agreement on the urgent need for action to mitigate climate change, people must also go on living their daily lives, attending to their needs and interests of themselves, their families and their community.
Photo:
Illustration: Signe Wohlfeil

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Welcome to the University of Bergen, 8–9 May 2023!

The cross-disciplinary research project, CLIMLIFE, headed by professor Kjersti Fløttum, aims to generate new and vital knowledge about the role of climate in lifestyle issues, revealing barriers and opportunities for action, and highlighting conflict and consensus. This is also the aim of the conference.

While there is broad agreement on the urgent need for action to mitigate climate change, people must also go on living their daily lives, attending to their needs and interests of themselves, their families and their community.

Climate change concerns all aspects of our lives and affects how we think about everything from our personal lifestyle choices as consumers, our political behaviour as citizens, to how we perceive the fate of our planet and the future of humanity. In addition to political measures, often related to taxes, energy and huge infrastructure projects, the willingness and interest among individuals and local communities seems to be a prerequisite for necessary actions.

Focus areas of both the CLIMLIFE project and the conference are:

  1. the relationships between people’s (notably young people’s) motivations/preferences and choices,
  2. how politicians, at various levels, perceive and prioritize people’s everyday matters within their seemingly larger and more important issues, and
  3. how media cover everyday lifestyle matters.

The core focus are citizens’ potential motivations or strategies for action or non-action, such as activism, responsiveness, resignation or rejection.

For information about participants and abstracts, please click here:

PROGRAMME

#ClimlifeBergen

Monday 8 May

Venue: The University Aula, located in the south wing of the Natural History Museum, Muséplassen 3, 5007 Bergen

08.15–09.00Registration, coffee/tea
09.00–09.20

Welcome and opening of conference 

09.20–09.30

Live music: Gabriel Fliflet

09.30–10.15

Views from climate/environment journalists
My Climate Change – Exploring realities and possibilities revealed through nearly four decades on the sustainability beat. Keynote by Andrew C. Revkin, Independent journalist and Climate Communication Advisor, Columbia Climate School. Comments: Astrid Rommetveit, Climate Editor, Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). Chair: Professor Helge Drange

10.15–10.30Short break
10.30–12.00

Presentation of main results from the CLIMLIFE project by Kjersti Fløttum, Helge Drange, Dag Elgesem, Trine Dahl, Ida Vikøren Andersen, Øyvind Gjerstad

12.00–12.30

Presentation of the Norwegian Citizen Panel, DIGSSCORE, University of Bergen, by Scientific Director, Professor Elisabeth Ivarsflaten

12.30–13.30Lunch
13.30–14.15Young people’s coping in the face of climate change: On the importance of meaning-focused coping, dialectical thinking, and defiant hope. Keynote by Maria Ojala, Associate Professor of psychology, Örebro University. Chair, Q/A: Professor Trine Dahl
 
14.15–15.00

Can we overcome the conflicting views on climate politics? Keynote by Håvard Haarstad, Professor of human geography, Head of Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation (CET), University of Bergen. Chair, Q/A: Professor Dag Elgesem

15.00–15.15Short break, coffee/tea
15.15–16.00The changing role of journalism in climate change communication
  • Professor Michael Brüggemann, Journalism and Communication Studies, University of Hamburg
  • Professor Mike S. Schäfer, Science Communication, Center of Higher Education and Science Studies, University of Zurich
  • Professor Brita Ytre-Arne, Media Studies, Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen
16.00–17.00

PANEL DEBATE: What can various generations learn from each other in matters regarding a climate-friendly lifestyle?

Panelists: Maria Ojala (Örebro University), Arne Johan Vetlesen (University of Oslo), Mia Cathryn Chamberlain (Natur og Ungdom/Nature and Youth), Sveinung Rotevatn (Norwegian Parliament). 
Moderator: Anne Jortveit, Deputy Director of the Norwegian Climate Foundation

Tuesday 9 May

Venue: University of Bergen, Faculty of Law, Magnus Lagabøtes Plass 1, 5010 Berge

08.15–08.45

Registration

08.45–09.00

Practical information

09.00–09.45

Climate Change temporalities: From science to vernacular culture. Keynote by Kyrre Kverndokk, Professor of Cultural Studies, University of Bergen. Chair, Q/A: Øyvind Gjerstad

09.45–10.00Short break, coffee/tea
10.00–12.00Parallel sessions of paper presentations (see programme below)
12.00–13.00Lunch
13.00–15.00Parallel sessions of paper presentations (see programme below)
15.00-15.15Short break, coffee/tea
15.15–16.00

We are good at setting targets less so to deliver and implement. How to change our systems, organisations and our behaviour as fast as is needed. Who must do what? Keynote by Connie Hedegaard, Former European Commissioner for Climate Action and Danish Minister for the Environment and for Climate and Energy

16.00–16.15Closing remark
17.30-18.30

Reception at Håkon's Hall, a medieval cultural monument built by king Håkon Håkonsson. The reception is hosted by Bergen City Council. All participants are welcome. Read about Håkons Hall here.

Paper sessions Programme 

Climate change is a many-faceted phenomenon. This has had an impact on the thematic composition of the paper sessions. Some of the papers clearly address the indicated theme, while others may have a slightly different focus but still be relevant to the conference theme.

Time schedule paper sessions programme

9 May at 10–12

1.1   Media/journalism

Venue: Auditorium 4
Chair: Dag Elgesem

10.00  Painter
10.20  Brüggemann
10.40  Kristiansen
11.00  Atanasova
11.20  Yan

1.2   Youth/justice

Venue: Seminar room D
Chair: Trine Dahl

10.00  Eide
10.20  Duncan
10.40  Borgen-Eide 
11.00  Verezhak
11.20  Perron

1.3   Narrative/culture

Venue: Seminar room E
Chair: Øyvind Gjerstad

10.00  Lygren
10.20  Bordignon
10.40  Aasmundsen
11.00  Ytterstad
11.20  Makrooni
11.40  Bremer

1.4   Journalism/Public debate

Venue: Seminar room F
Chair: Ida V. Andersen

10.00  Anderson
10.20  Bødker
10.40  Härgestam
11.00  Kääntä
11.20  Schuck

1.5   Politics/public opinion

Venue: Seminar room 1
Chair: Helge Drange

10.00  Faleide
10.20  Kazanci Altinok
10.40  Tvinnereim
11.00  Falck
11.20  Vivi
11.40  Hidle

9 May at 13–15

2.1   Media/communication

Venue: Auditorium 4
Chair: Solveig H. Lygren 

13.00  Wormbs
13.20  Andersen
13.40  Bjærke
14.00  Saltelli
14.20  Mao

2.2   Youth/activism/future

Venue: Seminar room D 
Chair: Øyvind Gjerstad

13.00  Samofalova
13.20  Vargas
13.40  Haugestad
14.00  Ducol
14.20  Sekanina

2.3   Consumption

Venue: Seminar room E
Chair: Dag Elgesem

13.00  Bengtson
13.20  Pinto
13.40  Boström
14.00  Helliesen
14.20  Callmer

2.4   Emotions

Venue: Seminar room F 
Chair: Johanna Gunn

13.00  Böhm
13.20  Kazys
13.40  Storelv
14.00  Meijers
14.20  Møller-Skau
14.40  Gregersen

2.5   Communication/governance

Venue: Seminar room 1
Chair: Emil Perron

13.00  Nadeau
13.20  Remme
13.40  Vulpe
14.00  Rosales
14.20  Cortés-Zaborras