The science behind disaster citizen science : an autoethnographic exploration of the Zero Carbon Act campaign in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Emergency Management at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

My research sought to understand how citizen-led science can contribute to disaster and climate resilience. The structure of the thesis was split in two parts. The first half of the thesis research focused on a literature review and the development of a Disaster Citizen Science Project Development Framework to understand how citizen science can build community resilience against disasters, including for current and future hazard impacts of the climate crisis (Part One). The second half of the thesis (Part Two) used an autoethnographic study of a citizen-led science and policy project: the Zero Carbon Act campaign for new climate change law in Aotearoa New Zealand (2016-2019).

Around the world, citizen science is being used to increase community resilience to hazards, including climate change impacts. However, without careful design, there is potential for citizen science to reinforce current societal inequities. An intersectional and reflexive approach to citizen science project design is presented as a way to lessen inequities in this science.

I undertook an autoethnographic exploration of my participation in the Zero Carbon Act campaign to better understand how reflexive analysis could be applied to citizen science projects, to reduce some of the possible inequitable outcomes. The Zero Carbon Act campaign for new climate change law in Aotearoa New Zealand was used as an example of citizen-led science and policy development, led by youth climate change group Generation Zero. Analysis of the Zero Carbon Act campaign explored reflexive and vulnerable project participation, and looked at how project design can help turn project participants’ values into actions (praxis). Several key themes were analysed through my autoethnographic exploration, including action coping, action bias, urgency narratives, burnout, collective visioning, and justice-based climate action.

My research concluded that climate change focused citizen science projects can have the best of intentions, but without reflexive and intersectional approaches they can be problematic, especially when causing harm to already marginalised communities. Being reflexive takes a degree of personal vulnerability, but it is a necessary tool when including social justice approaches to citizen science and research.