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The Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) brings a new instalment of the successful popular science publication on climate change. Climate change II. brochure follows from the previous work published in 2022 and presents current scientific knowledge about the phenomenon of the climate crisis from the perspective of social sciences. The publication was created as part of the Open Academy edition and is freely available online on the SAS website.

Today, the scientific world agrees that climate change is caused by human activity. At the forefront of the problem is the man and the society that caused the problem with their behaviour.

"With this brochure, we want to point out what social science disciplines can offer not only in understanding, but also in solving climate change. Today we already know that the problem cannot be solved as an isolated part, the cooperation of various scientific disciplines, as well as sectors, is important," Jakub Šrol, the psychologist from the Institute of Experimental Psychology of the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences SAS, explains the purpose of the publication.

Thanks to the brochure, the general public, as well as experts, have the opportunity to get to know an important part of the mosaic of the climate crisis, where humans play the main role. Readers can look forward to chapters from philosophy, sociology, psychology, economics, forecasts, but also history, human geography, anthropology and human rights.

The publication also provides a unique insight into how today many communities at home and around the world know the sound, taste, or smell of climate change. It also focuses on the future, defining possibilities and even opportunities for a world where the climate crisis is a reality that we can face. The collective of authors also raises the question of whether we will be able to take such measures in the fight against climate change that will be not only effective, but also fair across geographic regions and social strata. Experts from SAS repeatedly appeal to the importance of civic activism. This proves to be a key starting point, especially if we acknowledge the word of social sciences not only in the dialogue about climate change and the future, but mainly in our actions.

"We didn't want the publication to sound pessimistic, even if optimism would be naive. As a psychologist, I promote the approach of active hope. As individuals, but also as a society, we must think about what kind of world we and future generations want to live in. However, we shouldn´t only fantasize about it, but act, demand that systemic measures be taken. We should find the energy within ourselves to be part of the solution, not just part of the problem," ads the psychologist Mgr. Miroslava Šudila Žilinská from the Institute for Research in Social Communication SAS.

The following collective of authors participated in the publication: Richard Sťahel (Institute of Philosophy SAS), Katarína Strapcová (Institute for Sociology SAS), Jaroslava Panáková (Institute of Ethnology and Social Anthropology SAS), Júlia Čížová (Institute of History SAS), Jakub Šrol (Institute of Experimental Psychology of the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences SAS), Miroslava Šudila Žilinská ( Institute for Research in Social Communication SAS), Dušana Dokupilová (The Institute for Forecasting of the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences SAS), Anna Kalistová (Institute of Social Sciences of the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences SAS), Pavel Šuška (Institute of Geography SAS), Mikuláš Huba (Institute of Management of the Slovak University of Technology, Emeritus Employee of Institute of Geography SAS).

Climate Change II. publication is proof that this topic needs a multidisciplinary approach, and it is the SAS that covers the cooperation of scientific disciplines and enables knowledge to be passed on to the public in understandable language. 

You can find more information about the brochure in the following video.

Those interested can find all popular science publications published so far on the website of the Open Academy -– in the "WE EXPLAIN" section.

The brochure can also be browsed on mobile devices after scanning the QR code

QR code for browsing the Climate Change II. brochure (in attachment).

Edited by Katarína Gáliková

Video Martin Bystriansky