Fostering social learning through role-play simulations to operationalize comprehensive climate risk management: Insights from applying the RESPECT role-play in Austria

This paper describes an analytical-deliberative process, centered around the RESPECT role-play simulation, conducted to foster the operationalization of comprehensive climate risk management (CRM) in Lienz, southern Austria, a city that is representative of many alpine regions. We hypothesize that fostering social learning via participatory stakeholder engagement processes aids closing prevailing science–policy–implementation gaps in CRM, which are often a result from insufficiently clear roles and responsibilities, diverging stakeholder interests, priorities and risk perceptions, and inexistent or incipient cooperation mechanisms. To test this hypothesis, we co-developed and conducted a role-play simulation centered on riverine-flood risk—the most pressing climate-related risk in the Lienz case-study region. Based on our analysis of qualitative data gathered ex ante and ex post the intervention, we found role-play simulations to have a high potential for fostering social learning in CRM. After taking part, the diverse societal stakeholders were found to better understand: i) the interacting dimensions and drivers of riverine-flood risks; ii) the diverging risk perceptions; and iii) each other’s interests and needs in addressing such risks at the individual and institutional level. Role-play simulations are a promising transdisciplinary method for engaging societal stakeholders beyond traditional policy- and decision-making communities in informed and inclusive public debate around challenges and solutions to CRM. The methodological and practical insights gained in this Austrian case study may be transferred to the management of other climate-related risks.