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Participatory communication and action for a sustainable environment

In: Handbook of communication and development
Srinivas R. Melkote; Arvind Singhal (eds.)
Cheltenham; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing (2021), pp. 142-153
"Sustainability has been a guiding principle in development for long but gained renewed impetus through the worldwide adoption of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals following the increasingly tangible environmental and social effects of climate change. Achieving sustainable development, however, has proved complicated, as it requires dealing with complex issues that cut across disciplines, sectors and stakeholder interests. This chapter explores what it takes to facilitate sustainable development and social change by unravelling the elements of a communication strategy that can bridge these complexities. Such a strategy is built on the principles of participation and empowerment and applies both ‘telling’ and ‘sharing’ functions of communication to inform, engage and connect stakeholders. These principles and practices are illustrated by two cases where conflicting interests existed between environmental and livelihood objectives. It concludes with the observation that a favorable institutional context is needed to operationalize effective communication for sustainable development." (Abstract)