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From Utopia to Dystopia: Interviews in Iceland About the Future Amid Climate Change

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  • Michelle Ritchie

    (Institute for Disaster Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Sarah Heaton

    (Institute for Disaster Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
    College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
    Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Alexander Scheid

    (Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Hannah Mott

    (College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Gudrun Mobus Bernhards

    (Independent Researcher, 101-155 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Sloane Sengson

    (Institute for Disaster Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Kathryn Foral

    (Institute for Disaster Management, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Jon Calabria

    (College of Environment and Design and the Sustainability & Landscape Performance Lab (SLaP Lab), University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

Abstract

Studies at the intersection of climate change and futures research are needed. In response, we interviewed Icelanders (n = 63) to understand individuals’ visions of the future. Linguistic analysis revealed that participants expressed themselves informally with moderate confidence, high authenticity, and a negative tone. Deductive thematic analysis revealed three overarching visions of the future: (1) a utopian future characterized by environmental and social harmony where people return to nature; (2) a stable future reminiscent of today with improved infrastructure, connectivity, and continued sustainability and adaptation practices that maintain a rural lifestyle; and (3) a dystopian future marked by climate disruptions, overpopulation, and new environmental hazards requiring more emergency management resources alongside cultural barriers to adaptation that lead to the decay of infrastructure. The findings underscore the need to understand community-specific values and concerns for developing culturally sensitive and sustainable climate change adaptation strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle Ritchie & Sarah Heaton & Alexander Scheid & Hannah Mott & Gudrun Mobus Bernhards & Sloane Sengson & Kathryn Foral & Jon Calabria, 2025. "From Utopia to Dystopia: Interviews in Iceland About the Future Amid Climate Change," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:16:y:2025:i:2:p:26-:d:1668568
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Jeffrey T. Malloy & Catherine M. Ashcraft, 2020. "A framework for implementing socially just climate adaptation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Barry Smit & Ian Burton & Richard Klein & J. Wandel, 2000. "An Anatomy of Adaptation to Climate Change and Variability," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 223-251, April.
    4. Anne M. van Valkengoed & Linda Steg, 2019. "Meta-analyses of factors motivating climate change adaptation behaviour," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(2), pages 158-163, February.
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