Project Leader

Antal Z., László

Participants

The research

Changes of nature are becoming increasingly frequent and vigorous and they force part of humanity, entire countries and even local communities as well as families and individuals to respond to them. It is a question of fundamental importance for the survival of every society how fast it is capable of adjusting to the changing conditions. The aim of our research has been to study social conditions promoting or making social flexibility more difficult with the method of action research rarely applied in Hungary. As the “extreme weather phenomena” resulting from climate change are of many kinds (floods, internal waters, draught, heat wave, high UV radiation, high winds…) (VAHAVA 2007) and adequate responses cannot be elaborated for every expected danger, therefore we have concentrated on the study of responses to increased UV radiation. In the summer of 2007 we continued our work began in the previous year, aiming at informing the inhabitants and promoting flexible social responses. Therefore we are going to publish the UV data received from the National Meteorological Survey this year too. We have prepared two posters (one for adults and the other one for children) about the rules of safe sun-bathing and have installed them at several places. The Hungarian Red Cross informs bathers about the newly emerged dangerous situation at 45 bathing locations along Lake Balaton, advising them about the necessary means of protection. The plan of UV alert was elaborated within the framework of our research which was already declared for several days in the summer of 2007. According to our assumption the programmes so far elaborated and implemented help promote the growth of social flexibility. All this should be regarded as a first step of a several-year long work we could begin thanks to the support received from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and of the Prime Minister’s Office. After the termination of subsidy work would continue. Its long-term result may be a fall in diseases and a better understanding of the conditions of social flexibility.