Media & Climate Change
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Media & Climate Change March 6th 2007 Hadi Dowlatabadi The University of British Columbia University Fellow, Resources For the Future Adjunct Faculty, Engineering & Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University
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Media & Climate Change. March 6th 2007 Hadi Dowlatabadi The University of British Columbia University Fellow, Resources For the Future Adjunct Faculty, Engineering & Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University. What do media cover?. 2 billion do not have potable water. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Media & Climate Change
Media&
Climate Change
March 6th 2007
Hadi DowlatabadiThe University of British Columbia
University Fellow, Resources For the Future
Adjunct Faculty,Engineering & Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University
206.03.07
What do media cover?
• 2 billion do not have potable water.• >1 billion women do not have control
over their reproduction.• 1 billion cannot access electricity.• 780 million suffer from chronic hunger.• 200 million have severe malaria.• ~ 40 million are living with HIV/AIDS• Biodiversity loss is at least 1000 times
faster than ever before.
306.03.07
What do media cover?
• 2 billion do not have potable water.• >1 billion women do not have control
over their reproduction.• 1 billion cannot access electricity.• 780 million suffer from chronic hunger.• 200 million have severe malaria.• ~ 40 million are living with HIV/AIDS• Biodiversity loss is at least 1000 times
faster than ever before.Brit
tany S
pears sh
aved h
er hair.
406.03.07
A contrast
• Media:– Address injustice– Promote free speech– Sell more advertising
• Science:– Address ignorance– Promote a formal examination of evidence– Get more research funding
506.03.07
A contrast
• Media:– Address injustice– Promote free speech– Sell more advertising
• Science:– Address ignorance– Promote a formal examination of evidence– Get more research fundingDiff
erent v
iews of o
bjectivi
ty.
Each is
self
serv
ing
Both h
ave a
bused o
ne anot
her
606.03.07
Studies of media’s coverage of science show
•Failure to reflect qualifications
•Obfuscation of source information
•Amplification of effects
•More factual errors
706.03.07
Reported cases of Dengue 1980-96: Does climate change abruptly at the border?
Source: US National Assessment
806.03.07
Summary
• * is a business. Greater success comes from greater sensationalism.
Caveat Lector!
906.03.07
Life expectancy is a political mapnot a climatic one
1006.03.07
Annual Per Capita Emissions(tCO2 eq)
0
5
10
15
20
25
AverageCanadian
Average WorldCitizen
ClimateStabilization
