Cultural aspects of risk to environmental changes and hazards: a review of perspectives

This research paper review examines the role of culture within disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation, arguing that while culture is recognized as a determinant of risk, there is a lack of evidence and a clear definition of what culture means in this specific context.

• Culture is increasingly recognized as a critical determinant of risk in the fields of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR), encompassing traditional and religious values that influence settlement patterns, livelihood choices, and social structures.
• Existing literature on the relationship between culture and risk generally centers on two recurring arguments: that risk is a cultural and social construction, and that culture serves as the foundation for all behaviors.
• The theory of the social construction of risk suggests that culture determines how individuals or communities perceive and respond to disasters; risk is created when these perceptions and actions are not resilient. Key areas of cultural influence include the perceived severity of risk compared to daily priorities, the determination of which risks deserve attention, and the assignment of responsibility for both the hazard and the response.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2015). Cultural aspects of risk to environmental changes and hazards: a review of perspectives. https://www.sei.org/publications/cultural-aspects-of-risk-to-environmental-changes-and-hazards-a-review-of-perspectives/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Cultural aspects of risk to environmental changes and hazards: a review of perspectives. 2015. https://www.sei.org/publications/cultural-aspects-of-risk-to-environmental-changes-and-hazards-a-review-of-perspectives/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Cultural aspects of risk to environmental changes and hazards: a review of perspectives |date=12 May 2015 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/cultural-aspects-of-risk-to-environmental-changes-and-hazards-a-review-of-perspectives/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2015cultural, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Cultural aspects of risk to environmental changes and hazards: a review of perspectives}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2015}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/cultural-aspects-of-risk-to-environmental-changes-and-hazards-a-review-of-perspectives/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }