Post by account_disabled on Feb 27, 2024 3:31:18 GMT -6
What is the most effective way to communicate climate change? Rachel Kyte, vice president and special envoy for Climate Change at the World Bank, sums up the problem this way: "The world continues to tell a story of fear, threat and risk." The University of Bristol published the Uncertainty Handbook of research and expert advice to establish 12 tips related to smarter communication when it comes to climate change: 1. Manage your audience's expectations People expect science to provide definite answers when, in reality, it is a method of asking questions about the world. When talking about the uncertain areas of climate change, professionals should ensure that: Use lots of analogies from everyday life so people can see that uncertainties are everywhere, not just in climate science. Emphasize that science is an ongoing debate and just because scientists don't know everything about one topic, doesn't mean they don't know other things. 2. Start with what you know, not what you don't know On many fundamental questions such as “Do humans cause climate change?” or “Are we going to cause unprecedented changes to our climate if we don't reduce the amount of carbon we burn?”, the answer is already implied. Many people are discouraged about global warming, especially because of the uncertainty. Therefore, it is a good idea to emphasize what you do know. Comic related to climate change 3. Be clear about the scientific consensus Having a clear and consistent message about the scientific consensus is important, as it influences whether people see climate change as a problem that requires an urgent societal response. Use clear graphics, a trusted messenger to communicate consensus, and try to find the closest match between your audience's values and those of the person communicating the message.
All the wrld's science academies New Zealand WhatsApp Number agree that humans are causing climate change and that it will have serious negative consequences unless measures are taken to prevent it. 4. Moving from “uncertainty” to “risk” Most people are used to dealing with the idea of risk. It is the language of the insurance, health and national security sectors. So for many audiences – politicians, business leaders or military leaders – talking about the risks of climate change will probably be more effective than talking about the uncertainties. Instead of saying things like "Although there is much that is unknown about how local services will be affected, climate change is very likely to cause more flooding in the future," it is better to say things like this: "The risk of flooding in the city, disrupting our businesses and schools, is now higher than ever due to climate change.” 5. Be clear about the type of risk you are talking about A common strategy of skeptics is to intentionally confuse and conflate different types of uncertainty. Therefore, it is essential to be clear about the type of risk you are talking about – causes, impacts, policies or solutions – and adopt the appropriate language for each. Using words that only scientists understand is not a good idea. List of words with different meanings for scientists and the public 6. Understand what drives people's opinions Uncertainty about climate change is greater among people with right-wing political values. However, a growing body of research focuses on forms of communication about global warming that do not threaten conservative belief systems, using language that better resonates with center-right values. 7. The most important question is “when,” not “if.” Climate change predictions are routinely reported using a standard results format. Thus, a statement could say that sea level will rise "between 25 and 68 cm, with 50 cm being the average projection for 2072.
Flipping the statement using an uncertain time frame will make it clear that the question is when (not if) sea levels will rise by 50 cm: "Sea level will rise by at least 50 cm, and this will occur sometime between 2060 and 2093». 8. Communicate through images and stories Most people understand the world through stories and images, not lists of numbers, probability statements, or technical graphs, so it is crucial to find more engaging ways to translate and interpret the technical language found in scientific reports. Images are essential to make the impacts and solutions more real. Images convey emotions beyond what words can achieve. Visualizations such as bar or pie charts (often used to communicate climate change) are among the least memorable of all visual content. This type of images requires prior knowledge. Answer these questions before communicating: Do your images inspire the audience? Do you use realistic images that match the accompanying copy? Do you use storytelling images to help make global warming feel closer, and to help people imagine possible scenarios? 9. Highlight the positive aspects of uncertainty Whenever possible, provide clear visualizations to show data and illustrate what is known and what is less certain. Research has found that uncertainty is not an inevitable barrier to action, as long as communicators frame climate change messages in ways that captivate doubt. A positive framing of uncertain information would indicate that losses may not occur if preventive measures are taken. "Talking about uncertainty in a positive way creates hope, but talking about it in a negative way creates feelings of despair." 10. Communicate effectively about climate impacts The question "Is this weather event caused by global warming?" out of place. When someone has a weak immune system, they are more susceptible to diseases and no one asks if each one was caused by their immune system.
All the wrld's science academies New Zealand WhatsApp Number agree that humans are causing climate change and that it will have serious negative consequences unless measures are taken to prevent it. 4. Moving from “uncertainty” to “risk” Most people are used to dealing with the idea of risk. It is the language of the insurance, health and national security sectors. So for many audiences – politicians, business leaders or military leaders – talking about the risks of climate change will probably be more effective than talking about the uncertainties. Instead of saying things like "Although there is much that is unknown about how local services will be affected, climate change is very likely to cause more flooding in the future," it is better to say things like this: "The risk of flooding in the city, disrupting our businesses and schools, is now higher than ever due to climate change.” 5. Be clear about the type of risk you are talking about A common strategy of skeptics is to intentionally confuse and conflate different types of uncertainty. Therefore, it is essential to be clear about the type of risk you are talking about – causes, impacts, policies or solutions – and adopt the appropriate language for each. Using words that only scientists understand is not a good idea. List of words with different meanings for scientists and the public 6. Understand what drives people's opinions Uncertainty about climate change is greater among people with right-wing political values. However, a growing body of research focuses on forms of communication about global warming that do not threaten conservative belief systems, using language that better resonates with center-right values. 7. The most important question is “when,” not “if.” Climate change predictions are routinely reported using a standard results format. Thus, a statement could say that sea level will rise "between 25 and 68 cm, with 50 cm being the average projection for 2072.
Flipping the statement using an uncertain time frame will make it clear that the question is when (not if) sea levels will rise by 50 cm: "Sea level will rise by at least 50 cm, and this will occur sometime between 2060 and 2093». 8. Communicate through images and stories Most people understand the world through stories and images, not lists of numbers, probability statements, or technical graphs, so it is crucial to find more engaging ways to translate and interpret the technical language found in scientific reports. Images are essential to make the impacts and solutions more real. Images convey emotions beyond what words can achieve. Visualizations such as bar or pie charts (often used to communicate climate change) are among the least memorable of all visual content. This type of images requires prior knowledge. Answer these questions before communicating: Do your images inspire the audience? Do you use realistic images that match the accompanying copy? Do you use storytelling images to help make global warming feel closer, and to help people imagine possible scenarios? 9. Highlight the positive aspects of uncertainty Whenever possible, provide clear visualizations to show data and illustrate what is known and what is less certain. Research has found that uncertainty is not an inevitable barrier to action, as long as communicators frame climate change messages in ways that captivate doubt. A positive framing of uncertain information would indicate that losses may not occur if preventive measures are taken. "Talking about uncertainty in a positive way creates hope, but talking about it in a negative way creates feelings of despair." 10. Communicate effectively about climate impacts The question "Is this weather event caused by global warming?" out of place. When someone has a weak immune system, they are more susceptible to diseases and no one asks if each one was caused by their immune system.