Insights

In what ways does language matter for climate engagement, and in what way does climate change affect language communities? Climate change threatens linguistic heritage and cultural identity in many ways. As the most vulnerable areas will be hit the hardest, with the authorities’ priorities narrowing to general survival at the expense of cultural heritage protection, minority languages and cultures can quickly face extinction (Kim, 2011). As awareness of this threat is increasing and communities realise what they might lose, linguistic heritage and cultural identity become increasingly powerful drivers for citizens’ local engagement for climate mitigation and adaptation (Oino & Musau, 2024)– a phenomenon which has long been obvious in those parts of the world where climate already significantly affects indigenous cultures’ livelihoods (Mihlar, 2008). However, as climate change is largely driven by the leading industrialized countries, recognising linguistic identity as a driver for climate engagement across the languages of the world could have significant implications. The notion of ‘home’ matters for people anywhere in the world, and place attachment is clearly linked to engagement (Scannell & Gifford, 2013).

In WALES, Welsh is a minority language that for a long time was actively suppressed by the English (Davies, 2014) but now benefits from active governmental priority support (May, 2010). Linked to highly emotional awareness of this history, locals’ place attachment is intertwined with a deep sense of appreciation towards Welsh language and culture, associated with the environmental beauty and strong links to local history (Tenbrink & Williams, 2022). As the Welsh language and culture is felt to be under threat, exacerbated by environmental changes, local climate change discourse frequently includes discussion of language along with other cultural heritage aspects, motivating people’s engagement towards resilience (Roberts, Tenbrink & Peisley, 2023). Community groups also simply appreciate the opportunity to join up as a unified culture, speaking the same (minority) language, aligning their thoughts and purposes for the benefit of their home environment. In addition, Wales enjoys increasing popularity for tourism and hosts immigrants from many other countries, introducing a wide variety of further languages heard across the country.

In LITHUANIA, the status of the Lithuanian language is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania (Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, 1992) and the use of the Lithuanian language in state life is ensured by the Law on the State Language of the Republic of Lithuania (Law on the State Language of the Republic of Lithuania, 1995). Nevertheless, globalization, climate change, geopolitical crises pose a threat to the small nation due to the loss of national identity. Dialects and subdialects have survived in Lithuania to this day, best preserved by the older generation living in rural areas, while in cities it changes faster and becomes more uniform. Some dialect variants of the Lithuanian language are disappearing due to the drastic decline of villages (changes in agricultural forms; emigration, negative demographic indicators). Furthermore, some rare dialects have been enshrined in Lithuanian non-material cultural heritage list and are officially protected by the state. Despite that, due to the influence of global phenomena (including climate change), residents of Lithuania, as well as of other countries in the world, are experiencing language and cultural changes. Detailed research would not only help determine the scale of the problem, highlight territorial differences in Lithuania, but also encourage measures to be taken to reduce the negative impact of climate change.

In LUXEMBOURG, multilingualism is a long-standing part of national identity, historically anchored in Luxembourgish, French, and German (Horner & Weber, 2008; Hu & Wagner, 2020). However, migration and globalization have made the linguistic landscape increasingly diverse, with 170 nationalities represented and over a third of residents speaking a primary language outside the official trio (STATEC, 2023; Fehlen et al., 2021). This reflects broader demographic shifts: 47.3% of residents are foreign nationals (STATEC, 2024b). While multilingualism is widely celebrated (Tavares, 2020), access to political participation remains limited for non-citizens, who are excluded from national elections. This raises critical concerns about whose voices are represented in public discourse (de Jonge & Petry, 2021), including on issues such as climate change. Moreover, although attitudes toward language diversity and multiculturalism are generally positive (De Bres, 2014; Purschke, 2020), many nationals remain hesitant to extend political rights to non-nationals. Simultaneously, foreign residents increasingly call for more inclusive participation in societal and political life (Verhasselt & Paulis, 2024). As such, Luxembourg’s multilingualism not only symbolizes inclusion but also exposes tensions around integration and belonging, tensions that can shape environmental engagement. When climate communication is conveyed primarily through dominant languages and national narratives, large segments of the population risk being (un)intentionally excluded or marginalized. As such, meaningful climate justice and environmental action in Luxembourg must engage with the sociopolitical dimensions of language, identity, and democratic inclusion.

In FINLAND, linguistic rights are grounded in the Constitution, with the Language Act offering more specific regulations that elaborate on these constitutional rights (Ministry of Justice, 2025). The official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish, however, there are many other languages spoken in the country, in addition to numerous dialects that are geographically distinct varieties of a language (Institute for the Languages in Finland 2025a, 2025b). Importantly, under the Constitution, the Sámi, as Indigenous people, have the right to maintain and develop their own language and culture. In their home region, the Sámi have linguistic and cultural self-government. There are three Sámi languages that are spoken in Finland: North Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi (Sámediggi, 2025a). All Sámi languages spoken in Finland are endangered languages (Samediggi, 2025b) and the Sámi Parliament, established in 1996, plays a significant role in language revitalisation and in the work to avoid the loss of the languages (see Helander et al. 2023).

In AUSTRIA, language and climate engagement intersect within a context of historical minoritization, regional diversity, and growing multilingualism. German is the dominant national language in Austria, but the country officially recognizes minority languages such as Burgenland-Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak and Romani under the Volksgruppengesetz (Ethnic Groups Act) (Bundeskanzleramt, n.d.). These groups are concentrated in specific regions (e.g. Slovenian in Carinthia and Styria, Burgenland-Croatian and Hungarian in Burgenland), where place-based identities and local linguistic traditions are tightly connected to landscapes, as exemplified through the decades-long ‘dispute of topographic signs’ in Carinthia (Rasinger, 2014). Austria is part of the Alpine region, which is both characterized by a large number of ethnic minorities and smaller speech communities (Maurer-Lausegger, 2008) and expected to be substantially affected by climate change (Weber et al., 2019). At the same time, Austria has become markedly more multilingual due to migration: in 2025, around 23% of residents were born abroad, and languages such as Turkish and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian are widely used in everyday life (Statistik Austria, 2025, 2026). Despite this, foreign-born residents often do not take part in decision-making processes related to governmental and voluntary disaster risk management (Weber et al., 2019).

CONTRIBUTORS

Thora Tenbrink, Bangor University, Wales

Daiva Verkulevičiūtė-Kriukienė, Asta Balčiūnienė, and Laima Kuprienė, Klaipėda University, Lithuania

Lisa Verhasselt, LISER, Luxembourg

Annika Airas, SImon Fraser University, Canada

Anouschka Foltz, University of Graz, Austria

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