Résumés
Résumé
Si la communication climatique est bien documentée sur le plan de la recherche scientifique, elle l’est beaucoup moins sur celui de sa pratique. Dans notre étude, nous nous intéressons aux individus oeuvrant pour une organisation municipale québécoise et dont la fonction professionnelle les amène à sensibiliser un public cible à des enjeux climatiques. Il est pertinent de s’intéresser à ces professionnel.le.s, puisque les villes sont aux premières lignes de l’action climatique. L'objectif de notre étude est double : 1) réaliser un portrait des pratiques de communication climatique de ces individus ; 2) étudier leur disposition à l’égard des connaissances scientifiques vulgarisées (CSV). Qui sont-ils ? Quelles sont leurs fonctions précises au sein de leur organisation municipale ? Auprès de quels publics interviennent-ils ? De quelles façons ? Sont-ils en contact avec les CSV et si oui, comment et pour quelles raisons les utilisent-ils ? Un devis séquentiel mixte a été mis en oeuvre. Dans une première phase, un questionnaire en ligne a été complété par 56 personnes travaillant dans 12 régions administratives du Québec. Dans la seconde phase, huit entretiens individuels ont été menés afin d’approfondir les données quantitatives issues du questionnaire. Les résultats mettent notamment en lumière une utilisation fréquente des médias sociaux pour s’adresser aux citoyen.ne.s – le principal public cible des individus sondés – ainsi que des attitudes généralement positives à l’égard des CSV. Cependant, certains freins à l’utilisation de ce type de connaissances ont été révélés, dont la difficulté à les repérer et le manque de ressources organisationnelles.
Mots-clés :
- communication climatique,
- municipalités québécoises,
- action climatique,
- connaissances scientifiques vulgarisées,
- méthodes mixtes
Abstract
While climate communication is well-documented in scientific research, its practice is much less explored. In our study, we focus on individuals working for a municipal organization in Quebec whose professional function leads them to raise awareness of climate issues among a target audience. It is relevant to study these professionals because cities are at the forefront of climate action. The objective of our study is twofold: 1) to provide an overview of the climate communication practices of these individuals; 2) to examine their attitudes towards popularized scientific knowledge e (PSK). Who are they? What are their specific roles within their municipal organization? Which audiences do they engage with, and how? Are they in contact with PSK, and if so, how and why do they use it? A sequential mixed-methods design was implemented. In the first phase, an online questionnaire was completed by 56 people working in 12 administrative regions of Quebec. In the second phase, eight individual interviews were conducted to deepen our understanding of the quantitative data from the questionnaire. The results notably highlight the frequent use of social media to talk to citizens – the primary target audience of the respondents – as well as generally positive attitudes towards PSK. However, some barriers to using this type of knowledge were revealed, including lack of accessibility and of organizational resources.
Keywords:
- climate communication,
- Quebec municipalities,
- climate action,
- popularized scientific knowledge,
- mixed methods
Parties annexes
Bibliographie
- Alberti-Dufort, A., Bourduas Crouhen, V., Demers-Bouffard, D., Hennigs, R., Legault, S. J., Larrivée, C., et Ouranos. (2022). Québec. Dans Warren, F., Lulham, N., et Lemmen, D. S. (éds), Le Canada dans un climat en changement : Le rapport sur les Perspectives régionales (p. 100-226). Gouvernement du Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, [En ligne] URL : https://changingclimate.ca/site/assets/uploads/2025/06/Regional-Perspectives-Report_FR.pdf
- Allison, A. L., Baird, H. M., Lorencatto, F., Webb, T. L., et Michie, S. (2022). Reducing plastic waste: A meta-analysis of influences on behaviour and interventions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 380, [En ligne] URL : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095965262204433X
- Badullovich, N. (2022). ‘It is a bloody big and responsible job’: perspectives on climate change communication from Australia-focused practitioners. Climate Action , 1 (1), 1‑13.
- Badullovich, N., Grant, W. J., et Colvin, R. M. (2020). Framing climate change for effective communication: A systematic map. Environmental Research Letters , 15 (12), 1‑16.
- Bales, S. N., Sweetland, J., et Volmert, A. (2015). How to Talk about Climate Change and the Ocean. Prepared for the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation with Support from the National Science Foundation. FrameWorks Institutes. [En ligne] URL : https://www.frameworksinstitute.org/app/uploads/2020/03/climatechangeandtheocean_mm_final_2015.pdf
- Baumer, E. P. S., Polletta, F., Pierski, N., et Gay, G. K. (2017). A Simple Intervention to Reduce Framing Effects in Perceptions of Global Climate Change. Environmental Communication, 11(3), 289‑310.
- Benjamin, D., Por, H.-H., et Budescu, D. (2016). Climate Change Versus Global Warming: Who Is Susceptible to the Framing of Climate Change? Environment and Behavior. 49(7), 745‑770.
- Boaz, A., Davies, H., Fraser, A., et Nutley, S. (2019). What Works Now? Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice, Bristol, UK: Policy Press, 418 p.
- Boivin, M., Grenier, G., et Dragomir, A. (2024). Parler efficacement des changements climatiques. Institut national de santé publique du Québec, [En ligne] URL : https://www.inspq.qc.ca/sites/default/files/publications/3591-parler-efficacement-changements-climatiques.pdf
- Brüggemann, M. (2017). Shifting Roles of Science Journalists Covering Climate Change. Dans Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science . Oxford University Press, [En ligne] URL : https://oxfordre.com/climatescience/climatescience/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228620.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228620-e-354
- Carmen Lemos, M., Kirchhoff, C. J., et Ramprasad, V. (2012). Narrowing the Climate Information Usability Gap. Nature Climate Change, 2, 789‑794.
- Champagne St-Arnaud, V. (2020). L’évaluation de l’efficacité des campagnes de publicité sociale. Thèse en communication politique, Université Laval, [En ligne] URL : https://corpus.ulaval.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/9940e749-85e4-4867-b3c3-0f33c417c230/content
- Chen, M. F. (2016). Impact of fear appeals on pro-environmental behavior and crucial determinants. International Journal of Advertising , 35 (1), 74‑92.
- Creswell, J. W., Plano Clark, V. L. (2007). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research . Thousand Oaks, Sage Publications, 275 p.
- Dagenais, C. (2006). Vers une utilisation accrue des résultats issus de la recherche par les intervenants sociaux. Quels modèles de transfert de connaissances privilégier ? Les Sciences de l’éducation - Pour l’Ère Nouvelle, 39(3), 25‑35.
- Dagenais, C., Lysenko, L., Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Ramde, J., et Janosz, M. (2012). Use of research-based information by school practitioners and determinants of use: A review of empirical research. Evidence and Policy, 8(3), 285‑309.
- Doherty, K., Webler, T. (2016). Social norms and efficacy beliefs drive the Alarmed segment’s public-sphere climate actions. Nature Climate Change , 6 (9), 879‑884.
- Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward Clarification of a Fractured Paradigm SUPER RELEVANT TIL. Journal of Communication , 43 (4), 51‑58.
- Gibson, T. A., Craig, R. T., Harper, A. C., et Alpert, J. M. (2016). Covering global warming in dubious times: Environmental reporters in the new media ecosystem. Journalism, 17(4), 417‑434.
- Gifford, R., Comeau, L. A. (2011). Message framing influences perceived climate change competence, engagement, and behavioral intentions. Global Environmental Change , 21 (4), 1301‑1307.
- Hackett, R. A., Forde, S., Gunster, S., et Foxwell-Norton, K. (2017). Journalism and Climate Crisis . New York (NY): Routledge, 216 p.
- Hastings, G., Angus, K. (2011). When is social marketing not social marketing? Journal of Social Marketing , 1 (1), 45‑53.
- Hedding, K. J. (2017). Sources and Framing of Fracking: A Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage in North Carolina, New York, and Pennsylvania. Environmental Communication, 11(3), 370‑395.
- Holmes, D. C., Richardson, L. M. (2020). Research handbook on communicating climate change . Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing, 362 p.
- Klöckner, C. A. (2013). A comprehensive model of the psychology of environmental behaviour -A meta-analysis. Global Environmental Change, 23(5), 1028‑1038.
- Körfgen, A., Kuthe, A., Chiari, S., Prutsch, A., Keller, L., et Stötter, J. (2019). Moving Forward in Climate Change Communication: Recommendations for Rethinking Strategies and Frames. Dans Filho, W. L., Lackner, B., et McGhie, H. (éds.) Addressing the Challenges in Communicating Climate Change Across Various Audiences (p. 545-564). Springer.
- Kumpu, V. (2022). What is Public Engagement and How Does it Help to Address Climate Change? A Review of Climate Communication Research. Environmental Communication , 16 (3), 304‑316.
- Lysenko, L. V, Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Dagenais, C. (2015). Research Use in Education: An Online Survey of School Practitioners. Brock Education Journal , 25 (1), 34‑54.
- Mcloughlin, N., Corner, A., Capstick, S., Richardson, H., Bell, A., Muller, C., et Illingworth, S. (2018). Climate communication in practice: how are we engaging the UK public on climate change? Oxford: Climate Outreach, Reports & guides, [En ligne] URL : https://climateoutreach.org/reports/climate-communication-in-practice-how-are-we-engaging-uk-public/
- McSween-Cadieux, E., Chabot, C., Dagenais, C., Lane, J., et Dancause, L. (2023). Le transfert de connaissances chez les personnes étudiantes aux cycles supérieurs : des perceptions qui témoignent d’un changement de paradigme au Québec ? Revue de recherche sur le transfert et l’utilisation des connaissances, 7(1), 1‑28.
- Mees, H., Tijhuis, N., et Dieperink, C. (2018). The effectiveness of communicative tools in addressing barriers to municipal climate change adaptation: lessons from the Netherlands. Climate Policy , 18 (10), 1313‑1326.
- Melloh, L., Gellatly, J., Miah, F., et Randall, A. (2024). Communicating climate change and migration: a user’s guide to navigating the research . Oxford: Climate Outreach, Reports & guides, [En ligne] URL : https://climateoutreach.org/reports/communicating-climate-change-and-migration-users-guide/
- Moser, S. C. (2016). Reflections on climate change communication research and practice in the second decade of the 21st century: What more is there to say? Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change , 7 (3), 345‑369.
- Nousiainen, N., Riekkinen, V., et Meriläinen, T. (2022). Municipal climate communication as a tool in amplifying local climate action and developing a place brand. Environmental Research Communications , 4 , 1‑26.
- Nutley, S. M., Walter, I., et Davies, H. T. O. (2017). How can we assess research use and wider research impact? Dans Nutley, S. M., Walter, I., et Davis, H. T. O. (éds.), Using Evidence: How Research Can Inform Public Services (p. 271‑296). Cambridge University Press.
- Ramdé, J. (2012). Utilisation des connaissances issues de la recherche en éducation. Validation d’un questionnaire et proposition d’un modèle. Thèse de doctorat, Département de psychologie, Université de Montréal, [En ligne] URL : https://umontreal.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/54045e6c-d2b5-4366-b86e-1668acaa6777/content
- Richardson, L. M. (2020). Practitioner engagement with communication and behavioural science research. Dans Holmes D. C., Richardson, L. M. (éds.), Research Handbook on Communicating Climate Change (p. 242‑255). Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Rohling, K., Wandersee, C., Baker, L. M., et Tomlinson, P. (2016). Communicating Climate Change: A Qualitative Study Exploring how Communicators and Educators are Approaching Climate-Change Discussions. Journal of Applied Communications , 100 (3), 82‑92.
- Ruiter, R. A. C., Kessels, L. T. E., Peters, G. J. Y., et Kok, G. (2014). Sixty years of fear appeal research: Current state of the evidence. International Journal of Psychology , 49 (2), 63‑70.
- Spence, A., Pidgeon, N. (2010). Framing and communicating climate change: The effects of distance and outcome frame manipulations. Global Environmental Change , 20 (4), 656‑667.
- Steinhorst, J., Klöckner, C. A. (2018). Effects of Monetary Versus Environmental Information Framing: Implications for Long-Term Pro-Environmental Behavior and Intrinsic Motivation. Environment and Behavior , 50 (9), 997‑1031.
- Taherdoost, H. (2019). What Is the Best Response Scale for Survey and Questionnaire Design; Review of Different Lengths of Rating Scale / Attitude Scale / Likert Scale. International Journal of Academic Research in Management (IJARM) , 8 (1), 1‑12.
- van Valkengoed, A. M., Steg, L. (2019). Meta-analyses of factors motivating climate change adaptation behaviour. Nature Climate Change , 9 (2), 158‑163.
- Verplanken, B., Orbell, S. (2022). Attitudes, habits, and behavior change. Annual Review of Psychology , 73 , 327‑252.
- Ward, V., House, A., et Hamer, S. (2009). Developing a framework for transferring knowledge into action: A thematic analysis of the literature. Journal of Health Services Research and Policy , 14 (3), 156 ‑ 164.

