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

The research aims to reduce the gap between the commitments of political elites and society in mitigating climate change. Grounded in the belief that not only scientific facts and legislation, but also narratives on climate change that circulate in society are of vital importance for action (or inaction), the research will focus on the discursive side of the action. 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.