Envisioning Climate Change Adaptation Futures Using Storytelling Workshops

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This is an interesting paper describing the outcomes of storytelling workshops to engage participants in writing fictional adaptation future stories of how and who will respond to harmful events associated with climate change. They found good adaptations are centered on identifying and protecting things most of value and encourage future thinking. The manuscript is well-written and the topic fits the scope of audience of Sustainability. I would suggest publication.

Author Response

REVIEWER 1

REVIEWER 1, COMMENT 1

This is an interesting paper describing the outcomes of storytelling workshops to engage participants in writing fictional adaptation future stories of how and who will respond to harmful events associated with climate change. They found good adaptations are centered on identifying and protecting things most of value and encourage future thinking. The manuscript is well-written and the topic fits the scope of audience of Sustainability. I would suggest publication.

REPLY: Thank you for your positive response.

Reviewer 2 Report

This paper envisions adaptation futures using storytelling workshops.

It is an interesting paper and brings a new method to study climate change adaptation.

However, I have two major issues with this paper.

The first is technical/methodological. In my view, the sample size i.e. 12 stories is small and not enough to capture different views and hence may not be representative.

Where is the nobility of the paper?

The second issue I have with this paper is the fictional stories. You asked the participants to write fictional stories describing a future climate change and adaptation that might not be realistic. Rather, databased analysis is preferred. How these fictional stories reflect future climate change and adaptations?  As result, results would contradict previous studies.

What is the justification to employ these fictional stories approach rather than the real data to study the research question?

1. Title of the research

• Would it be better if the title were written like “Envision adaptation futures using storytelling workshops”?

2. Abstract

• Lines 7-11 – a long and vague statement.

3. Introduction

• The literature are not well framed to show the advantages and disadvantages of the standard adaptation study method and your new method.
• It lacks a theoretical framework and the way the problem was stated.
• I could not see how the study helps to adapt to climate change.
• Section 1.5, line 3, is three workshops as it is stated in the methods section rather than saying “… series of …”

4. Methods part

• Taking 12 stories, how qualitative data analysis software is important?
• Small sample size and hence may not be representative.

5. Results

• What are the major findings? Can you summarize the main results in a paragraph just right after the results section? Just like, you did in the discussion section (section 4).

6. Discussion

•  Section 4, line 11: “….here and now phenomena” - it is too broad! Are the phenomena include beyond climate change?

7. Conclusion

• You stated that there is growing interest in using creative approaches in climate change studies that require reference.
• The study missed recommendation (s).

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see the attachment. 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx