Rouen: A scientific approach to citizen engagement - New case study

To understand what levers of action could be used to engage the local population

In 2017, the Métropole of Rouen launched a climate action agreement called “Notre COP21” (“Our COP21”) to mitigate the city’s urban area CO2 emissions. To this end, a local IPCC was set up, the Rouen Agreement for Climate was signed and an action plan was developed. This Territorial Climate, Air and Energy Plan (PCAET) contains a 73% GHG reduction objective by 2030.

To achieve this, the Métropole of Rouen can count on the help of its citizens, from scientists to residents.

Local IPPC: local expertise to engage the citizens of Rouen

To tackle climate change, the Métropole of Rouen built its climate action plan on strong scientific foundations. Along with the local COP pact, a local IPCC was set up, featuring only local academics. Through a multidisciplinary approach (social and natural science), they aim to generate climate change expertise grounded on local knowledge.

Concerning citizen participation, the local IPCC led a social psychology study called “Representations and behaviors of local populations regarding climate change” to understand what levers of action could be used to engage the local population in this project. One conclusion of the study was that “it may be more relevant to engage with people at the level of effects rather than causes, and even more so if the effects are discussed at a local level”.