While much research and policy attention for the past few decades has been directed at climate mitigation, growing awareness that the impacts of past emissions are now unavoidable has motivated increased attention to climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation. Of particular importance is the recognition of the substantial inequities in climate risk, sensitivity, and in the power to contribute to democratic decision-making. Individuals, communities and families already living in precarity are often the least responsible for contributing to climate change, yet nonetheless absorb the greatest burden in the form of sensitivity to impacts, lack of adaptive capacity, and political marginalization. 

Dr. Davidson has been conducting research focused on the many social dimensions of climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation, including the production of an assessment report for the Province of Alberta, serving as a Lead Author in Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, and as a regular contributor to National Assessments for Canada. Some relevant publications include:

Davidson, Debra J., Anthony Fisher and Gwendolyn Blue. 2019. “Missed opportunities: The absence of climate change in media coverage of forest fire events in Alberta.” Climatic Change 153(1): 165-179.

Davidson, Debra J. 2018. “Rethinking adaptation: Emotions, evolution, and climate change.” Nature and Culture 13(3): 378-402.

Wellstead, Adam, Robbert Beisbroek, Paul Cairney Debra Davidson, Johann Dupuis, Michael Howlett, Jeremy Rayner, and Richard Stedman. 2018. “Overcoming the ‘Barriers’ Orthodoxy: A New Approach to Understanding Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Governance Challenges in the Canadian Forest Sector.” Canadian Journal of Forest Research 48:1-5.

Lankao, Patricia Romero, Timon McPhearson, and Debra J. Davidson. 2017. “The Food, Energy and Water Nexus and Urban Complexity.” Nature Climate Change 7(4): 233-235.

Biesbroek, Robbert, Johann Dupuis, Andrew Jordan, Adam Wellstead, Michael Howlett, Paul Cairney, Jeremy Rayner & Debra Davidson. 2015. “Opening up the black box of adaptation decision-making.” Nature Climate Change 5, 493–494.