From indifference to making difference in climate policy: improving the interaction between political narrative and societal perceptions in Latvia

To improve the interaction between political narratives and how society receives them the following is planned: (1) to extract political narratives on climate change in Latvia, especially focusing on energy; (2) to discover climate change narratives circulated by citizens; (3) to analyse the link between political narratives and how they are received by citizens; (4) to elaborate guidelines for policy-makers and society on the most adequate narrative in the Latvian context to foster society's engagement in mitigating climate change and saving energy. During the project a broad range of stakeholders will be involved to ensure the longterm impact and sustainability of the project’s results, also on a policy- and societal level.

Project Team

Leader

Prof. Andris Sprūds

Academic Staff

Coordinator, researcher

Vineta Kleinberga

Researcher, Doctoral student

Lead researcher

Assoc. prof. Ilva Skulte

Academic Staff

Lead researcher

Elīna Dāce

Acting Researcher

Researcher

Lect. Lelde Metla-Rozentāle

Programme Group Leader, Acting Researcher, Academic Staff

Researcher

Lect. Kristīne Blumfelde-Rutka

Academic Staff, Acting Researcher

Results

Section Green, affordable, or secure energy? Energy trilemma in the Latvian strategic narrative after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 of the book The Energy Trilemma in the Baltic Sea Region Security, Equity and the Environment (to be published in 2025)

Section Energy (In)Security in Latvia: Managing Decoupling Under the EU Energy Umbrella of the report Energy Security in Eastern Europe since Decoupling from Russia: The Fragile Balance Between Geopolitics, National Politics and Vernacular Perceptions (7 November 2024)

Presentation Narrative of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Context of Climate Change: Transformation of Latvian Business Environment (21 June 2024)

Presentation Mobilising action for the European Green Deal: the role of trust in climate change strategic communication (20 June 2024)

Presentation Mobilizing action in times of climate emergency: the role of trustworthy narrators in establishing an enabling discursive environment at the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) General Conference (4–8 September 2023)

Presentation Setting targets is not enough: discursive contestation of climate change related policies in Latvian society at the European Consortium for Political Research General Conference (4–8 September 2023)

Presentation Klimata politikas un ar to saistītās politiskās komunikācijas uztvere Latvijas sabiedrībā: naratīva pieeja at the 5th World Congress of Latvian Scientists 'Research Latvia' (29 June 2023)

Presentation Perceived trustworthiness of the narrator: does it matter in strategic narratives? at the international conference Narrative Matters 2023: Instrumental Narratives: Narrative Studies and the Storytelling Boom (15–17 June 2023)

Presentation Climate Change Narrative in Latvia: Business Environment Perceptions at the international conference Narrative Matters 2023: Instrumental Narratives: Narrative Studies and the Storytelling Boom (15–17 June 2023)

Presentation The Importance of Communication in Behavioural Change for Consumer Involvement in the Context of Bio Waste Sorting in Latvia at the international conference Economic Science for Rural Development (11 May 2023)

Presentation Do You Believe Them? Perceived Trustworthiness of the Narrator in Evaluating the Effectiveness of Climate Change Narratives at the RSU conferenc Fostering action with narratives: Communicating about climate change and energy transition in politics, business, media and society (31.03.2023.)

Presentation Winners or losers? Perceptions of climate change and related policies in Latvian society at the RSU conference Fostering action with narratives: Communicating about climate change and energy transition in politics, business, media and society (31 March 2023)

Presentation Integration of Climate Change Content in Marketing Communication of Retail Companies in Latvia at the RSU conference Fostering action with narratives: Communicating about climate change and energy transition in politics, business, media and society (31 March 2023)

• Conference Fostering action with narratives: Communicating about climate change and energy transition in politics, business, media and society as part of the 3rd International Interdsiciplinary conference 'PLACES' (31 March 2023)

Publication The narrative of climate change in Latvian media content

Presentation Analysis of Opportunities for Increasing Consumer Involvement in the Context of Waste Sorting in Latvia at Rīga Technical University's international conference (14 October 2022)

Publication How to recognise the inevitable: Latvian media narratives on climate change (18 February 2023)

Publication Reflection of the EU Climate Policy Strategic Narrative in the Programmes of Latvian Political Parties – External Convergence and Influence on Shaping Public Opinion (21 April 2022)

Constructing thirst for low-carbon transition: an insight into Latvia’s business narratives – poster presentation in 'Energy and Climate Transformations', the 3rd International Conference on Energy Research & Social Science (20–23 June 2022)
Conference website

Related Projects

Climate change narrative in Latvia: in search of a “golden opportunity” for civil society, the economy and foreign policy