Communicating Urgency – Communicating Urgency – Facilitating Social ChangeFacilitating Social Change

New Strategies New Strategies

for Climate Changefor Climate Change

Susi MoserSusi MoserBoulder, June 8-11, 2004

Welcome!Welcome!

The ChallengeThe Challenge

The TerritoryThe Territory

The MapThe Map

The GoalsThe Goals

How We Might Get How We Might Get There…There…

Turning the Titanic?Turning the Titanic?

Will we turn the ship in time?

A frog in water doesn’t feel it boil in time.Dude, we are that frog.

Winning haiku in Grist MagazineCompetition June 2004

or: Will the Frog Jump Out of the Boiling Pot?or: Will the Frog Jump Out of the Boiling Pot?

Why the Communication – Social Why the Communication – Social Change Interface?Change Interface?

What is not seen does not existWhat is not seen does not exist– Detection and naming of problem Detection and naming of problem – Public agenda settingPublic agenda setting

What is not understood is dismissed, denied, or What is not understood is dismissed, denied, or polemically discussedpolemically discussed– Facilitation of informed public discourse Facilitation of informed public discourse

about issue and solutionsabout issue and solutionsHow something is framed determines responseHow something is framed determines response– Influence on “issue culture”Influence on “issue culture”

What is not talked about exerts no political pressureWhat is not talked about exerts no political pressure– Link between public discourse and political stageLink between public discourse and political stage

Without knowing about accessible solutions Without knowing about accessible solutions we will do nothingwe will do nothing– Critical R&DCritical R&D– Pioneers, models, early adoptersPioneers, models, early adopters– PromotionPromotion

The Difficult Character ofThe Difficult Character ofClimate Change Climate Change

GlobalGlobal

Complex system (with lags and thresholds) Complex system (with lags and thresholds)

Defined and perceived as slow/gradual or as Defined and perceived as slow/gradual or as occurring in the far futureoccurring in the far future

Difficult to detectDifficult to detect

Causes pervasive >> solutions challenging Causes pervasive >> solutions challenging (we have found the scapegoat and it is us) (we have found the scapegoat and it is us)

Impacts dispersed; not all bad; many Impacts dispersed; not all bad; many “creeping” phenomena“creeping” phenomena

Cumulative, synergisticCumulative, synergistic

Uncertainty pervasiveUncertainty pervasive

Politically very controversialPolitically very controversial

Public Perceptions of Climate Public Perceptions of Climate ChangeChange

~90% of American public aware of “global warming”~90% of American public aware of “global warming”For ~30% it is personally serious, urgent, worth For ~30% it is personally serious, urgent, worth worrying aboutworrying aboutStill confusion about causes of global warmingStill confusion about causes of global warmingGlobal warming seen as inevitable and unfixableGlobal warming seen as inevitable and unfixableRelated to irreversible deterioration of moral valuesRelated to irreversible deterioration of moral valuesFew know about solutions; most are (believed to be) Few know about solutions; most are (believed to be) ineffective or irrelevantineffective or irrelevantFew if any studies have looked at adaptation; climate Few if any studies have looked at adaptation; climate variabilityvariability

““The typical global warming news story The typical global warming news story overwhelms and immobilizes people.”overwhelms and immobilizes people.” (Frameworks Institute 2003) (Frameworks Institute 2003)

Societal Resistance to ChangeSocietal Resistance to Change

Some examples…Some examples…Design life of a power plant: 30+ yearsDesign life of a power plant: 30+ yearsDesign life of a dam: decades to 100 yearsDesign life of a dam: decades to 100 yearsDominant economic paradigm and supporting Dominant economic paradigm and supporting social structures: decades to centuriessocial structures: decades to centuriesHabits: years to a lifetimeHabits: years to a lifetimeValues: change over generationsValues: change over generations

“The conditions that brought us [anthropogenic] climate change, as well as the conditions surrounding future options for dealing with it, are embedded in socioeconomic structures and value systems, embracing material advancement and fossil fuels, structures and values that are highly resistant to change.”

Trumbo and Shanahan, 2000

Communicating…Communicating…

What shall we say?What shall we say?

How shall we say it?How shall we say it?

Who should say it?Who should say it?

To whom shall we speak, To whom shall we speak, and when?and when?

Through what channels?Through what channels?

How might we - and our How might we - and our message - be received?message - be received?

Does anyone care anyway?Does anyone care anyway?

……Urgency…Urgency…““If a red light blinks on in a cockpit, should If a red light blinks on in a cockpit, should

the pilot ignore it until it speaks in an the pilot ignore it until it speaks in an unexcited tone? unexcited tone?

Exactly how should one point out that there are Exactly how should one point out that there are too many of us consuming too much stuff, too many of us consuming too much stuff, trashing for short-term profit the life-support trashing for short-term profit the life-support system that we and all other creatures depend system that we and all other creatures depend upon? Is there any way to say that sweetly? upon? Is there any way to say that sweetly? Patiently? If one did, would anyone pay Patiently? If one did, would anyone pay attention?”attention?”

Donella MeadowsDonella Meadows

–– Facilitating…Facilitating…Webster’s: Webster’s: Make possible, make easy or easier, Make possible, make easy or easier,

smooth the progress of, help or assist, reduce smooth the progress of, help or assist, reduce resistanceresistance

INNOVATIONINNOVATION

INCENTIVESINCENTIVES

PROMOTIONPROMOTION

PRACTICAL HELP, RESOURCES, TOOLSPRACTICAL HELP, RESOURCES, TOOLS

REMOVAL OF BARRIERSREMOVAL OF BARRIERSAlso: Plan, implement, evaluate, obtain Also: Plan, implement, evaluate, obtain

commitments, agree on norms, give prompts commitments, agree on norms, give prompts

STRATEGY STRATEGY

CONTINUAL ENCOURAGEMENT & CONTINUAL ENCOURAGEMENT & MAINTENANCEMAINTENANCE

DEMOCRATIC PROCESSDEMOCRATIC PROCESS

……Social ChangeSocial Change

What needs changing? – What needs changing? – how deep do we aim?how deep do we aim?Who is changing? – Who is changing? – consumers, human species, consumers, human species, citizens, people with hearts citizens, people with hearts and mindsand mindsWhere to start or focus? – Where to start or focus? – scales of action/behaviorscales of action/behaviorOver what timeframe? –Over what timeframe? –once or repeat actions?once or repeat actions?What is in the way? – What is in the way? – barriers and how to barriers and how to overcome them?overcome them?

New Strategies for Climate ChangeNew Strategies for Climate Change

Working toward…Working toward…

Research and Action AgendasResearch and Action Agendas

Synthesis article in Synthesis article in Environment, BAMSEnvironment, BAMS

Edited volume of papers emerging from Edited volume of papers emerging from this workshopthis workshop

New projects, new collaborationsNew projects, new collaborations

Having fun along the way…Having fun along the way…

Challenges for WorkshopChallenges for Workshop

Walking Our TalkWalking Our Talk– Communicating across disciplinary boundariesCommunicating across disciplinary boundaries

– Communicating across professional boundariesCommunicating across professional boundaries

Theoretical Integration/ComplementarityTheoretical Integration/Complementarity– Different disciplinesDifferent disciplines

– Levels of social changeLevels of social change

Maintaining credibility for Maintaining credibility for academics and relevance academics and relevance for practitionersfor practitioners– Balance of research and Balance of research and

action agendasaction agendas

Getting there….Getting there….

Let’s practice what we preach….Let’s practice what we preach….

Conversation StylesConversation Styles

Based on Kahn (1974) “The Based on Kahn (1974) “The Seminar”Seminar”

Free-For-AllFree-For-All

It’s all about winningIt’s all about winning– ApprovalApproval– Self-esteemSelf-esteem– RecognitionRecognition

Anything goesAnything goes

I’m smart… …I’m smart… …you’re notyou’re not

Beauty ContestBeauty Contest

Parading ideas Parading ideas in bathing suits in bathing suits and high heelsand high heels

Isn’t my idea the best?Isn’t my idea the best?

And while you’re out And while you’re out front, I’m backstage front, I’m backstage prepping for my next prepping for my next appearanceappearance

Distinguished House TourDistinguished House Tour

Your idea is an Your idea is an interesting and interesting and beautiful house – beautiful house – let’s explore itlet’s explore it

How well is it built, How well is it built, decorated? Does it decorated? Does it hold up to poking?hold up to poking?

Let’s move on to the Let’s move on to the next house…next house…

Barn RaisingBarn RaisingSomeone offers an Someone offers an idea idea

Let’s work on it togetherLet’s work on it together

• • Let’s use others’ Let’s use others’ ideas to make ideas to make

the the barn even barn even better better

How do the pieces How do the pieces fit?fit?

Thank you for being here!