World view Global Climate in context Ethnographic research has explored different understandings of health and climate change in several countries globally, finding that one definition does not fit all. By Heidi Hasbrouck The Wellcome Trust approached Ipsos with a challenge: motivate the public to take action on climate change through their own health. The organisation was planning to roll out a new communications and public engagement strategy, relying on key assumptions about how people worldwide understand health and climate change; how relevant these concepts are to themselves and their communities; and how much they prioritise personal health. To grasp the publics perception, we recognised the need to step back and understand the contextual experiences of Changing dialogue The Wellcome Trust funds science and health research to promote knowledge and understanding of science and the value it brings. Within global health research, this dialogue has historically been top down, with the global north funding what it deemed necessary to support the global south. This is steeped in a colonial history of patronage, and centres one sides knowledge over another. It is now recognised that this funding model can further marginalise communities and disempower development, and does not always answer the questions or needs of the community that it is intended to serve. Wellcome is moving towards a dialogue-oriented approach, listening to those on the ground and recognising existing workarounds that can be built upon. different communities in lower- and middle-income countries. We wanted to explore how these communities perceive health and climate change, and how these concepts fit into their lived realities. Methodology: a model to engage communities We decided that a traditional qualitative research method would only cover values and perceived beliefs, without giving the necessary context. So, we designed a participative ethnographic approach to engage with communities on their own terms. We hired local ethnographers in six countries Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Korea, and Thailand and they became the linchpins of our research, shaping its design and findings. This approach also offered an opportunity for our community ethnographers to engage with their wider communities on climate change and health, making the research itself an engagement tool. Throughout the research process, we held remote analysis sessions with Wellcomes biological and social scientists, allowing us to build on each phase and incorporate their expertise into the emerging findings. Additionally, these discussions uncovered opportunities for the Wellcome Trust beyond the scope of the study. During one analysis session, we noted three participants from different countries making connections between fertility and climate change: We dont even think that being pregnant with global warming affects them, [but] it affects the foetus because its hot someone was sending me a message a few minutes ago Mam, I cant breathe, Mam, what must I do? Im like, the issue here is the environment. (Woman, South Africa) One scientists initial reaction was to correct them, as they did not believe that being pregnant at a time of global warming affects individuals directly. This led to a broader discussion among the scientists from different disciplines, untangling individuals truths and exploring the concept of scientific proof. As a result, the Wellcome Trust called for international scientific research to understand the links between heat and maternal and foetal health, building research from the ground up. Redefining climate change, questioning the myths and rethinking the publics role Our research found variations in the contextual understanding of climate change in different countries. For example, in Kenya, there is no direct translation for climate change, but people have noticed the shift in the environment. The impact of droughts on maize production is particularly prominent, leading participants to say: The maize is dead. Similarly, in Thailand, there is no single word for climate change, but participants associate global warming with rice production and water quality. Climate change in Brazil is deeply political, conflicting with Brazilian values of progress and indigenous values of preservation. The understanding of who causes climate change and how to solve it also varies across cultures. Some participants believe Allah wont allow climate change to become too severe, while others see it as Gods punishment for human actions. I think this is also part of Gods will. God sees that we have destroyed nature. He realises that we dont know how precious nature and air is. (Retired woman, South Korea) These nuanced perspectives influenced the global monitor survey questionnaire, which removed the term climate change and focused on experiential knowledge. Recognising the importance of cultural 10 Impact ISSUE 44 2023_pp10-11 WV Global.indd 10 05/12/2023 14:34