JOIN THE STUDY
Find out how to take part, what's involved, and how your information is kept safe.
LET'S TALK
Nowadays is recruiting adults from black and minority ethnic groups who want to share their thoughts on climate change and its effects on daily life now, and in the future.
Before you decide whether you want to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what your participation will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully. Use the Contact Form if you have questions or would like more information.
WHAT, WHERE, HOW
What is the purpose of the project?
The purpose of the project is to understand how climate change affects people from black and minority ethnic groups in London and the UK. It is believed that people from these groups may experience risks from climate change that are different to those that affect the majority white population. This project explores what these disparities are and why they occur, and asks whether action taken to manage the risks of climate change might itself contribute to racial inequality (either by reducing inequality, or making it worse).
In particular, the project considers these questions in relation to three of the big challenges we face because of climate change:
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Adapting to heatwaves
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Reducing our dependence on cars.
Who is invited to take part?
You are invited to take part in this project if you are a UK resident from a black or minority ethnic group who is aged 18 years or older, and you are living in Leeds or in the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. I am looking to recruit people who meet this general description and feel comfortable sharing their personal thoughts and beliefs about climate change, and how this affects their daily life and their local community.
What will happen if I take part?
If you choose to take part in the project you will be asked to meet me to talk about your daily life and how this is affected by climate change, or might be in the future. I will ask you questions about the following topics, and it will be up to you how you answer:
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How do you use energy at home?
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How you get around?
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How does your daily life change during heatwaves?
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Do you think these issues are different for you, as a person from a black or minority ethnic group, than for other groups?
Our meeting will take place at a venue that is convenient for you, such as a local library or cafe. I expect the interview will last about 1 hour, but it could be longer or shorter depending on how much you want to say.
Do I have to take part?
Participation is completely voluntary. You should only take part if you want to and choosing not to take part will not disadvantage you in any way. Once you have read this information, please contact me if you have any questions that will help you make a decision about taking part. If you decide to take part I will ask you to sign a consent form (meaning you agree to take part) and you will be given a copy of this consent form to keep.
Incentives
You will be given a £25 Love-to-Shop voucher. This is to thank you for your time.
What are the possible risks of taking part?
There are no foreseeable risks to taking part in this research. You will not be required to disclose any sensitive information that you do not wish to share.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
There are no direct benefits to participating in this study. However, taking part will help others to understand more about how climate change affects people from black and minority ethnic groups, and potentially raise the profile of the impact of climate change on racial inequality in the future.
Data handling and confidentiality
Your data will be processed under the terms of UK data protection law (including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018). Your data refers to all information collected during recruitment, and written notes and audio recordings collected during your interview.
Any personally identifiable information submitted as part of the research (e.g. names, or photos, video, or audio) will be deleted as soon as practical. Audio recordings will be transcribed very soon after data collection and pseudonymised in this process. This means your name will be replaced with a non-identifiable false name such as ‘participant 1’. The original recordings and notes will be deleted/destroyed once the audio has been transcribed.
All research data will be stored securely on a Sharepoint site on King’s College London’s servers, and only the research team will have access to it. All personally identifiable data will be deleted on completion of the project. All non-identifiable research data (which you cannot be identified from) will be deleted within 10 years of completing the project, in accordance with the King’s College London Data Retention Schedule.
Data Protection Statement
If you would like more information about how your data will be processed under the terms of UK data protection laws please see King's College London's statement on use of personal data in research.
What if I change my mind about taking part?
You are free to withdraw at any point of the project, without having to give a reason. Withdrawing from the project will not affect you in any way. You are able to withdraw your data from the project up until 30/11/26, after which withdrawal of your data will no longer be possible, as the data will have been analysed and the final report will have been written up and will be ready for publication. If you choose to withdraw from the project before the date stated, we will not retain the information you have given.
How is the project being funded?
This project is funded by a research grant from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
What will happen to the results of the project?
The results of the study will be summarised in my final thesis as part of the requirements for gaining a PhD. They may also be published in peer-reviewed academic journals and presented at conferences. The results may also be used in teaching. You won’t be identifiable in any outputs from the study, unless you have given your permission for your first name to be used.
If you like, you can indicate on the consent form whether you would like to receive a copy of the final published thesis by e-mail.
Who should I contact for further information?
If you have any questions or require more information about this project, please contact me using the following contact details:
Anna Poppa
PhD Student
Department of Geography, King’s College London
Bush House NE Wing, Aldwych
London WC2B 4BG
What if I have further questions, or if something goes wrong?
If this project has harmed you in any way or if you wish to make a complaint about the conduct of the project you can contact King's College London using the details below for further advice and information:
David Demeritt
Project Supervisor
Department of Geography, King’s College London
Bush House NE Wing, Aldwych
London WC2B 4BG
Thank you for reading this information and for considering taking part in this research.
This information is also available in PDF format below.