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Project title

When places change: Impacts of environmental change on coastal communities health, wellbeing and adaptive capacity.

Primary Funding Agency

Irish Research Council

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Environmental Protection Agency

Lead Organisation

Maynooth University (MU)

Lead Applicant

Christopher Phillips

Project Abstract

Environmental change is increasingly becoming part of people�s everyday lived experiences. Negative environmental transformations have been shown to undermine and disrupt personal and community identity, place attachment and sense of belonging. The term solastalgia was developed by philosopher Glen Albrecht to explain the feelings of grief, melancholy, nostalgia and lack of control experienced by communities who have witnessed loss of place as the environment they live in changes around them. The implications of these transformations are detrimental to community health and wellbeing, often reducing a community�s capacity to adapt to future threats. Such a transformation has been experienced by the communities of Courtown Harbour and Riverchapel County Wexford where severe coastal erosion has negatively changed the area and resulted in the loss of the beach, which was once the life blood of the community. Coastal communities such as these are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of negative environmental changes and extreme weather events associated with climate change. Important insights for future climate adaptation strategies can be obtained by better understanding the coping mechanisms communities employ to navigate through these changes and the impacts on their wellbeing. Therefore this research will be concerned with understanding the lived experiences of solastalgia and disruption of place attachment as a result of negative environmental change and loss of place occurring at Courtown County Wexford. A mixed methods approach will be applied consisting of questionnaires and semi structured walking interviews with residents and proprietors, analysed through a health and well-being framework. The research aims to provide valuable lessons for climate related adaptation strategies that can be applied to other contexts both nationally and internationally and promote the usage of solastalgia as an important concept within climate research for understanding the impacts of climate related losses.

Grant Approved

�48,000.00

Research Hub

Healthy Environment

Research Theme

Health and well being

Start Date

01/09/2019

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/08/2021