Transformative Learning and Engagement with Climate Change Adaptation: Experiences with Sweden’s Forestry Sector

The study examines the role of transformative learning in engaging 24 Swedish forestry stakeholders from Kronoberg and Västerbotten counties with climate change adaptation. While focus group discussions increased general knowledge and awareness, they had limited impact on the perceived urgency of action, as many stakeholders viewed climate impacts as distant or contradicted by personal experience. The findings suggest that engagement is highest when scientific knowledge is linked to stakeholders' specific objectives and past experiences with extreme weather, and that deep-rooted distrust in climate science remains a significant barrier.

• Participating in focus group discussions generally increased stakeholders' knowledge and awareness of climate change impacts on forestry, though the degree of influence varied among participants.
• Increased scientific knowledge did not translate into a greater sense of urgency regarding adaptation, as many stakeholders perceived climate change as a distant phenomenon in time and space.
• Personal experiences with weather often act as a cognitive barrier; stakeholders may dismiss climate science if it contradicts their recent observations of natural climate variability.
• Scientific uncertainty regarding future impacts and the efficacy of specific measures leads many forestry stakeholders to adopt a "wait-and-see" approach rather than implementing radical changes.
• Engagement and self-efficacy in adaptation are significantly higher when stakeholders can connect scientific data to their own practical objectives, such as timber production, biodiversity, or risk management.
• Stakeholders with previous experience of extreme weather events, specifically those in Kronoberg County affected by Hurricane Gudrun, showed more transformative learning and a higher motivation to engage with adaptation.
• Trust in the objectivity and validity of climate science is a critical determinant of engagement; distrust is often rooted in frames of reference based on past scientific projections that were perceived as incorrect.
• Direct interaction with scientists through participatory processes can help mitigate barriers related to the complexity, credibility, and uncertainty of climate science.

APA

Vulturius, G., & Swartling, Å. G. (2013). Transformative Learning and Engagement with Climate Change Adaptation: Experiences with Sweden’s Forestry Sector. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-WP-2013-12-Transformative-learning-forestry-adaptation.pdf

Chicago

Vulturius, Gregor, and Åsa Gerger Swartling. Transformative Learning and Engagement with Climate Change Adaptation: Experiences with Sweden’s Forestry Sector. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-WP-2013-12-Transformative-learning-forestry-adaptation.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Vulturius |first1=Gregor |last2=Swartling |first2=Åsa Gerger |title=Transformative Learning and Engagement with Climate Change Adaptation: Experiences with Sweden’s Forestry Sector |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=December 2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-WP-2013-12-Transformative-learning-forestry-adaptation.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vulturius2013transformative, author = {Vulturius, Gregor and Swartling, Åsa Gerger}, title = {{Transformative Learning and Engagement with Climate Change Adaptation: Experiences with Sweden’s Forestry Sector}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Climate/SEI-WP-2013-12-Transformative-learning-forestry-adaptation.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }