Topic modelling of public Twitter discourses, part bot, part active human user, on climate change and global warming

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-53
Author(s):  
Ahmed Al-Rawi ◽  
Oumar Kane ◽  
Aimé-Jules Bizimana
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Large Datasets ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Topic Modelling ◽  
Twitter Users ◽  
Method Approach ◽  
Different Parts ◽  
Natural Cycles

Twitter is a key site for understanding the highly polarized and politicized debate around climate change. We examined large datasets comprising about 15 million tweets from different parts of the world referencing climate change and global warming. Our examination of the twenty most active users employing the term ‘global warming’ are likely to be automated accounts or bots than the most active users employing the term ‘climate change’. We used a mixed method approach including topic modelling, which is a digital method that automatedly identifies the top topics using an algorithm to understand how Twitter users engage with discussions on ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’. The percentage of the top 400 users who use the term ‘climate change’ and believe it is human-made or anthropogenic (82.5%) is much higher than users who use the term ‘global warming’ and believe in human causation (25.5%). Similarly, the percentage of active users who use the term ‘global warming’ were much more likely to believe it is a results of natural cycles (18%) than active users who use the term ‘climate change’ (5%). We also identified and qualitatively analysed the positions of the most active users. Our findings reveal clear politically polarized views, with many politicians cited and trolled in online discussions, and significant differences reflected in terminology.

Twitter Users’ Displays of Affect in the Global Warming Debate

2021 ◽  
pp. 004728162110078
Author(s):  
Shanna Cameron ◽  
Alexandra Russell ◽  
Luke Brake ◽  
Katherine Fredlund ◽  
Angela Morris
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Technical Communication ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Climate Change Research ◽  
Quantitative Content ◽  
Twitter Users

This article engages with recent discussions in the field of technical communication that call for climate change research that moves beyond the believer/denier dichotomy. For this study, our research team coded 900 tweets about climate change and global warming for different emotions in order to understand how Twitter users rely on affect rhetorically. Our findings use quantitative content analysis to challenge current assumptions about writing and affect on social media, and our results indicate a number of arenas for future research on affect, global warming, and rhetoric.

A novel methodology for supporting integration between refugees and host communities: NAUTIA (need assessment under a technological interdisciplinary approach)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adela Salas-Ruiz ◽  
Andrea A Eras-Almeida ◽  
Rocío Rodríguez-Rivero ◽  
Alberto Sanz-Cobena ◽  
Susana Muñoz-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Refugee Camp ◽  
Need Assessment ◽  
Political Conflicts ◽  
Method Approach

Abstract More than 26 million people are recognized globally as refugees and have been forced to flee from their home countries because of poverty, human rights violations, natural disasters, climate change, and other social and political conflicts. What is more, most host communities are usually poor and face social and economic crises. This is why supporting integration between refugees and host communities is imperative at the global humanitarian context. Thereby, this research presents the NAUTIA (Need Assessment under a Technological Interdisciplinary Approach) methodology, an innovative mixed-method approach designed by the Platform on Refugees of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. The main objective of NAUTIA is to identify the basic needs of refugees and locals to improve their quality of life through interdisciplinary and inclusive intervention proposals based on technology. The methodology was applied in the permanent Shimelba Refugee Camp (Ethiopia), where energy, shelter, and food security solutions have resulted essential to improve the living conditions of both population groups. The results are useful for researchers, stakeholders, and practitioners from the humanitarian sector as they provide a more innovative and comprehensive way to support the unprecedented global human mobility there is nowadays.

scholarly journals Passive downdraught evaporative cooling: principles and practice

2001 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Ford
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Evaporative Cooling ◽  
Innovative Approach ◽  
The World ◽  
Different Parts

Air conditioning is now recognized as a significant factor in global warming and climate change. In the search for alternatives, passive downdraught evaporative cooling (PDEC) is proving to be both technically and economically viable in different parts of the world. Brian Ford describes the principles and current practice of this innovative approach to cooling in the hot dry regions of the world.

scholarly journals Climate change threats to a floral wedding: Threats of shifting phenology to the emerging South African wedding industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (45) ◽  
pp. 7-23
Author(s):  
Mazozo N. Mahlangu ◽  
Jennifer M. Fitchett
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Adaptive Strategies ◽  
The World ◽  
Phenological Shifts ◽  
Method Approach

AbstractWedding tourism is a fast emerging niche market both globally and in South Africa, as destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular. Wedding industries across the world, and specifically in South Africa, are increasingly dependent on the natural environment. Wedding venues with floral gardens, farms, orchards or forests are particularly popular. Beyond the venue, flowers are important for the bouquets and decoration, with popular blooms changing year on year. Shifting phenology – the timing of annually recurrent biological events – has been identified as one of the most sensitive responses to climate change. This poses a threat to the sustainability of floral wedding venues and the floral industry relating to weddings. This exploratory study utilizes an interdisciplinary mixed-method approach to record the importance of flowers in South African weddings and the perceived threats of climate change to this subsector. The respondents reveal the importance of flowers and the outdoors in both symbolism and the enjoyment of the wedding day, and had organised their wedding date to align with flowering. Destinations highlight a lack of awareness regarding phenological threats and are relatively unperturbed about the threats of climate change. Comparison to global phenological shifts reveals that these are misplaced. There is, therefore, a need for such wedding venues to adopt adaptive strategies to preserve their environment which drives wedding tourism.

scholarly journals Climate Change Education and Knowledge among Nigerian University Graduates

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayansina Ayanlade ◽  
Margaret Olusolape Jegede
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
University Education ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Climate Change Education ◽  
International Media ◽  
Elective Courses ◽  
Postgraduate Studies ◽  
Nigerian University ◽  
Method Approach

Abstract The introduction of climate change studies in universities has a fundamental role in helping the general public, especially the next generations, to recognize the global challenges of climate change and to find ways of adapting to the changing climate. This study examined the level of climate change education and perception of Nigerian university graduates. A mixed method approach was used to obtain data relating to perceptions, understanding, and level at which climate change has been taught in Nigerian universities. The results from this study revealed that about 70.7% of university graduates received brief lectures in some special elective courses during their university education, while only 4.1% were taught more than three semesters/terms in some special elective courses. It was also revealed that graduates from departments of environmental sciences have more class experience on climate change than students in the humanities and other faculties. The major finding of this study is that students appear far more informed about climate change, usually from the Internet and international media, than the level of climate change education they were taught in university. These results show the need for the introduction of climate change studies in Nigerian universities, with over 71% of participants believing that climate change studies should be included as a required course in both undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

scholarly journals OPTIMALISASI PENCAHAYAAN GEDUNG BERPEDOMAN PADA STANDAR NASIONAL DAN GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL INDONESIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-113
Author(s):  
Taufik Hamzah
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Call Center ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Descriptive Method

Desain gedung dengan pencahayaan dan penghawaan alami yang cukup menjadi suatu keharusan dimasa mendatang dalam upaya penghematan konsumsi energi, terciptanya bangunan yang sehat dan ramah lingkungan. Oleh sebab itu terapan konsep green building secara tepat terutama didaerah tropis seperti Indonesia sangat diperlukan. Tiga aspek penting mengapa perlunya penerapan konsep green building, yaitu pemanasan global (global warming), perubahan iklim (climate change)  dan terjadinya penurunan kualitas lingkungan (environmental deteriorations). Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian dasar yang menyangkut bidang ilmu rekayasa dengan tema teknologi konservasi energi pada desain gedung.  Jenis penelitian adalah descriptive-method dengan metode pendekatan mixed method, teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan triangulasi yaitu survey,observasi visual dan pengukuran.  Sebagai objek kasus penelitian adalah Gedung Call Center Telkomsel (CCT) Bandung,  dimana hamper keseluruhan desain arsitektur eksterior (building envelope) menggunakan material kaca. Dugaan secara visual bahwa desain gedung seperti ini akan mempengaruhi kenyamanan termal dalam ruangan akibat radiasi matahari langsung yang cukup besar. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengoptimalkan pencahayaan dalam gedung sesuai dengan standar dan konsep green building.  Luaran penelitian dan luaran tambahan adalah Laporan akhir, publikasi pada jurnal terakreditasi serta desain ulang pencahayaan dan fisik fasade Gedung CCT sesuai standar pencahayaan dan konsep banguna hijau (green building) yang ramah lingkungan serta hemat energi.   

scholarly journals Impacts of Global Warming in India

2019 ◽  
pp. 64-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagraj Adve
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Species Effects ◽  
Different Parts

This chapter uses ethnographic and documentary material to provide glimpses of how people experience, talk about, and negotiate climate change and increased variability in different parts of India. Using this approach, it aims to provide a qualitative narrative of some key, current impacts of global warming from below. What people say, combined with evidence from the scientific literature, increasingly indicates that its effects are already severely impacting ecosystems and lives, particularly the underclasses and others least responsible. Four key impacts are presented here: sea-level rise in the Sunderbans; shifts in the location of other species; effects across the Himalayan range; and the Uttarakhand disaster of 2013 in which several thousand people were killed. It is deeply concerning that these, and numerous other impacts currently experienced in different parts of India, are observed at 0.8°C of average warming. Much greater urgency in dealing with global warming is clearly warranted.

scholarly journals Patriarchy and Sociological Model of Voting Behaviour (SMVB): Analysis of Female Voting Preferences in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-111
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Basic Element ◽  
Voting Behaviour ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ◽  
The Family ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province ◽  
Method Approach ◽  
Different Parts

This study intends to underpin the presence of strong foundation of ‘Sociological Model of Voting Behaviour’ (SMVB) in female voters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It hypothesizes that Patriarchal structure is a basic element to influence female voting preferences. It connects ‘Patriarchy’ with ‘Sociological Model of Voting Behaviour’. The study found that the Patriarchal structure of the family in the Pakhtuns dominated society in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is significantly involved in determining female voting preferences. There are some other socio-political and economic components that supplement patriarchy and dependency of the female voters on male family members. A mixed-method approach was adopted for data collection. Quantitative data was collected through closed-ended questionnaires from Northern, Central and Southern constituencies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Interviews were also conducted from female respondents in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

scholarly journals Twitter’s Fake News Discourses Around Climate Change and Global Warming

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Al-Rawi ◽  
Derrick OʼKeefe ◽  
Oumar Kane ◽  
Aimé-Jules Bizimana
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Online Community ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Fake News ◽  
The Public

In this empirical study, we collected about 6.8 million tweets that mentioned “fake news”, and we extracted references to climate change and/or global warming to understand the public discourses around these two issues. Using a mixed method, the study’s findings show that there is a clear politically polarized discussion on climate change. We found that the majority of tweets focus on the United States context though references to other Western coutnries are often made. The anti-Liberal or anti-Democratic online community was more active on Twitter than the anti-conservative or anti-Republican community. Also, more than half the examined most retweeted posts contained claims about climate change being a natural cycle or even denying it exists, while about a third of these tweets stated that climate change was anthropogenic. The implications of the study are discussed, we argue that fake news as a term has a hollow meaning as it is used as a buzzword to discredit opponents and further the political agenda of different parties not only in the United States but also in other Western countries like Australia.

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