Climate change is one of the biggest challenges the world is currently facing. Adaptation refers to the focus on reducing vulnerability to the effects of climate change. A holistic model involving the head (cognitive), heart (affective) and hands (behavioral) to approach climate change has been proposed (Geiger et al., 2017).
The study found that understanding the causes is the biggest motivator for the public to address climate change (Parker et al., 2019). Q1: What topics do museums post about climate change and environmental issues on their Facebook platforms. Data on the nature of content on climate change and environmental issues were also collected.
Call for action calls for actions against climate change and environmental issues. Human The impact that humans have on the environment and how human actions contribute to climate change. Agriculture The impact that agriculture has on the environment and how it contributes to climate change.
Share Links Share links in the comments as further resources on the topics of climate change and environmental issues.
Results
16 the fewest number of posts related to environmental issues or climate change with a total of 21 posts. The data analysis showed that a total of 637 of the 751 posts contained further links, whether they were events, articles from the museum's website, or other sources outside the museum. One of these text-only messages was from the Australian Museum and the other was from the Manchester Museum.
The theme that was most present in the museums' posts on their Facebook platform was the one that focused on solutions, which was closely followed by marketing and. The lowest number of posts directly asked the audience for data on climate change and the environment. Topics that museums have posted about in relation to environmental issues and climate change on their Facebook platforms.
A special table was created on the causes of climate change and environmental issues, as attributed on the museums' Facebook platforms. A total of 46 posts out of 751 attributed humans as contributing to and causing climate change, and the lowest was agriculture, with only four posts out of 751 discussing the impact agriculture has on the environment and climate change. Data was also collected on the number of likes and follows that the museum platform had on Facebook.
The Smithsonian Institution had the most likes and followers, while the Manchester Museum had the fewest likes and followers. This data was collected to assess whether there is a relationship between the number of likes and follows that the museum's Facebook platform has and the number of responses and audience engagement. Showing the minimum, maximum and average number of comments, likes and shares of posts for each museum.
Having posts with zero likes versus thousands of likes is a drastic difference, which led to the extension of research question two, to investigate whether there is a relationship between the museums' most liked posts. The top five most liked posts from each of the museums were selected and their content examined for which topics were the most frequent. Topics that museums have posted about related to environmental issues and climate change from their top five most liked posts on their Facebook platforms.
Discussion
There were a total of 106 posts that directly called on the audience to take action against climate change and environmental issues. A total of 42 covered the topic of how museums themselves are sustainable and what the museum is doing to take action against climate change and environmental issues. There were different tones adopted by museums when discussing environmental issues and climate change.
23 encouraged the audience to submit photos of their experiences, impacts and solutions to climate change. Climate change and its many impacts are often seen as a distant issue (Vu et al., 2021). There were 25 posts discussing fossil fuels, oil and coal as causes and agents of climate change and environmental issues.
Museums do not seem to place the main focus on the causes of climate change, as only 89 posts discuss the caucus and contributors to climate change out of a total of 751 posts. As climate change is a complex problem, there is no single solution to the problem (Cameron et al., 2013). This was followed by comments showing support and agreement with the museum, praising the museum for its commitment to climate change and environmental issues.
There were a total of 153 comments denying climate change and 108 threads of comments about climate change. Understanding the risks of climate change is an integral aspect of climate change adaptation (Moser, 2017). Understanding and accepting that humans contribute to climate change is necessary to accept and act for adaptation.
An understanding of comprehensive risk awareness is also needed to understand the impacts of climate change. The museum's audience primarily responds to and engages with posts that discuss the effects of climate change and environmental issues. Making comparisons between the museums to draw conclusions about what is the most effective way to communicate climate change and environmental issues proved to be.
Implication of findings
27 difficult, as the museums had different numbers of followers and likes, which in most cases resulted in lower engagement on their posts, as the content would not have reached such a wide audience.
Limitations
Further research
Conclusion
Barriers and opportunities for climate change education: The case of Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas. The critical role that research and evaluation assume in the post-truth era of climate change. The time machine: challenging perceptions of time and place to enhance climate change engagement through museums.
Topics: Further links, Human, Impact, Call to action, Sustainable museum https://www.facebook.com/fieldmuseum/posts.
