Communicating climate change Dr Simon°Torok External Communications Manager Communicating scenarios...
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Transcript of Communicating climate change Dr Simon°Torok External Communications Manager Communicating scenarios...
Communicating climate change
Dr Simon°TorokExternal Communications Manager
•Communicating scenarios
•Country-country media differences
•Communication challenges
•What can we do?
Communicating climate change
•Communicating scenarios
UKCIP02 scenarios
Political editor ‘Scenarios’ only mentioned
once (in report title)Telling a story, painting a
pictureRegional comparisons
misleadingNothing is off the record
Watch out for the alligators in 'Everglades' BritainCLIMATE change caused by greenhouse gas emissions could lead to an Everglades-style environment in Britain in which species such as alligators, salamanders and mosquitoes would thrive, according to government scientists. 14 April 2002
What do people want to know?
• Is it happening?Context of longer time scale
• Will it affect me? Importance of scenarios, clear messages
• What can I do? Individual, organisation and government Impact of actions in face of global scale, USA
Communicating climate change
•Country-country media differences
Storms are Man's fault, says Prince
THE storms lashing Britain are, like the BSE disaster, the result of mankind's "arrogant disregard" for the delicate balance of nature, the Prince of Wales said yesterday.
The Prince's comments show him firmly on the side of scientists who point to the worsening intensity of winter downpours as evidence that man-made global warming has already begun, and tacitly out of sympathy with the fuel tax protesters. Scientists who point to measurable changes in the climate over the last century as visible signs of global warming avoid attributing any particular storm or weather event to global warming because the climate will always be variable.
"Some recent occurrences such as the BSE disaster and even perhaps - dare I mention it - the present severe weather conditions in our country are, I have no doubt, the consequences of mankind's arrogant disregard of the delicate balance of nature. There is no doubt that we live in an age of unprecedented, and sometimes terrifying, technological advance where the speed of advance so often outstrips the necessary ethical considerations."
Tuesday 7 November 2000, Daily Telegraph
Sydney Morning Herald, 5 January 2001
The Australian, 21 November 2000
Reasons for differences• Scientists?
We’re all saying the same thing
• Political? Kyoto Protocol stance cf US/France difference (scientific controversies/international political
issues)
• Knowledge? Weather interest El Niño, NAO
• Does it matter? Framing of international discussions (Aus Env Minister surprised by floods
question)
Communicating climate change
•Communication challenges
Source: Barbara Shackley
Challenges in communicating climate change• Language
Uncertainty meaning 99% certain vs unsure; probabilities
• Confusion with other atmospheric problems Greenhouse effect/enhanced greenhouse/global warming/climate change Climate change/ozone depletion/air pollution
• Change vs variability, weather vs climate Will a cool year be seen as things improving?
• Sceptics Takes time to respond
• Positive impacts Warming, need for personal action
Communicating climate change
•What can we do?
What can we do?• Build on knowledge
Steady reinforcement of the science
• Partnerships and briefings Networks with other organisations and interest groups
• Sceptics Going into battle if needed – the communicator’s role?
• Capitalise on windows of opportunity Current extremes aid visualisation of future impacts
• Visual impact scientific visualisation, fiction and art to bring distant, abstract concept closer
Janice Kerbel, Tyndall artist-in-residence