Études Caribéennes (Dec 2022)
Perceptions et mécanismes de compréhension du changement climatique dans le centre de la Martinique (Antilles françaises)
Abstract
Awareness of climate change and of the urgent need to change our lifestyles is a major challenge. Understanding the mechanisms that govern the evolution of our collective representations is an interesting lever for action for public policies, in that it makes it possible to support them and improve the effectiveness of public action. This is the postulate made by the Communauté de communes of the Center of Martinique (CACEM), by carrying out a socio-anthropological study on the perceptions and mechanisms of understanding climate change. The study sheds light on the current mechanisms of production of representations on the climate in Martinique, and identifies levers to make them evolve towards a better consideration of the climatic reality in the actions of each and collective decisions.The survey carried out shows that, if the reality of climate change is not questioned by the inhabitants, its impacts on the island remain little perceived and verbalized, which hinders the construction of social representations of climate change. The concepts through which climate change is described on a global scale are not appropriated by part of the population, without a local vocabulary being deployed. The immediate importance of social and economic issues also tends to eclipse the long-term effects of climate change, sometimes in a context of lack of confidence in public authorities. However, environmental issues are a major concern for residents, for whom the question of responsibility (of local authorities, the State, companies, individuals) is central.This conceals powerful levers for improving awareness and initiating the move towards action, such as sensitivity to the notion of autonomy, individual empowerment, aspiration to the collective and to social ties, attachment to places and to the Martinican identity.
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