Local Perceptions of Vulnerabilities in Times of Climate Change. How the German Cities of Luebeck and Rostock Construct Potential Threats

The paper reports from a research project studying coastal cities of the southern North Sea and Baltic Sea pursuing the research question of how local societies construct climate change. The results will show that local interpretations of climate change impacts may differ significantly irrespective of similarities in natural conditions. In the German city of Lübeck challenges of flooding and the vulnerability of the old city are recurrent topics in the local discourse. At the same time, however, Lübeck is portrayed as a city that has always defied the biggest challenges in its long Hanseatic history and that is traditionally well-equipped to cope with the climate change-induced threats to come. In the Hanseatic city of Rostock – only 100 km away from Lübeck and confronted with the same disaster scenarios – surprisingly, such a mode of interpretation does not play any role in the perception of climate change. The East German city perceives climate change much more as an opportunity. Long periods of warmth might help to make the region more attractive to tourists which will have a positive effect on the job market and will make the city resilient compared to its precarious economic situation.

Against this background, it will be argued that the conceptions of “vulnerability” and “resilience” which have been strongly influenced by ecology and natural hazards research need to be widened. A theoretical concept will be suggested that is enriched by cultural dimensions and particularly by the aspect of the social construction of reality implying that actors may develop different perceptions of potential threats as well as of precautionary measures – even though from the perspective of scientific scenarios the endangerment seems clear and proven. This does not mean, however, that materiality should be neglected which is why considerations from actor-network theory will be taken into account.