Using a vision of a desired future in climate change adaptation planning: lessons learned in the municipality of Riviere-au-Tonnerre (Quebec, Canada)

Through a practical application in the municipality of Riviere-au-Tonnerre on the Northern coast of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, this article explores the advantages of using a vision of future desired conditions for planning adaptation to climate change. Such an approach was used in small kitchen meetings for the elaboration of an adaptation action plan that was approved by the municipal council in September 2013 and revised in November 2014. The impacts of climate hazards were discussed as obstacles to the desired future conditions expressed by participants. This approach allowed the planning of a number of adaptation options, to define roles and responsibilities of different actors involved and to articulate different plans that are either in existence or being developed, linking them with adaptation. Based on our observations and on other studies in the fields of social movements, psychology and risk perception, we suggest that the use of a vision in discussion meetings with local actors could increase their motivation by placing the avoidance of undesired situations in the context of reaching their aspirations, in other words by embedding a prevention problem in promotion logic. The expression of a vision of a desired future could allow them to express their values and could facilitate the framing of a plan in a way that is coherent with them. The visions could then also be used to frame awareness-raising activities along the values they express.