The State of Climate Change Communications
InformationDeficit
InformationSurfeit
Data first: Give enough information and
change will come
Drama first: Encourage thinking and action based on rhetorical
information and emotional response
IPCC News Coverage
Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850. In the Northern Hemisphere, 1983–2012 was likely the warmest 30-year period of the last 1400 years (medium confidence).
UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Climate Change 2013:The Physical Science Basis
*Pg 3, SUMMARY FOR POLICYMAKERS, Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis by IPCC Working Group I Contribution to AR5 (Page 3; Figure SPM.1b). http://www.climatechange2013.org/images/report/WG1AR5_SPM_FINAL.pdf
Moving Towards a New Paradigm
InformationDeficit
InformationSurfeit
Data first: Give enough information and
change will come
VALUES CONGRUENT
SCIENTIFICALLY CORRECT
COMMUNICATIONS Drama first: Encourage thinking and action based on rhetorical
information and emotional response
RECOMMENDATIONSFormation / Projection / Reception
Why is carbon dioxide increasing so much?
How does increasing carbon dioxide impact the choices a consumer makes?
How does increasing carbon dioxide impact the choices a supplier makes?
Where will we run?
What will we grow?
Will we still get along?
Will I be free?
Will I be safe?
Will my home still even be here?
Will my wine taste the same?
What will this new world look like?
How much worse will the shoveling get?
SCIENCE MEDIA POLICY BUSINESS BELIEF
Accurate Dramatic Realistic Actionable Archetypal
Qualifying Engaging Speaks to Need Speaks to Revenue Circumscribing
Highlight Uncertainty
Highlight Certainty Highlight Risk Highlight Benefit Highlight
certainty
Cautious Certain Careful Candid Anthemic
Build Case for Further
ResearchBuild Audience
and InterestBuild
Constituency Build Business
Case Build following
Objective Persuasive Popular Visionary Persuasive
Generate Understanding
Generate Ratings
Generate Momentum
Generate Shareholder
InterestGenerate action
Steer Clear of Policy
Commit to a Conclusion
Commit to Policy Recommendatio
ns
Build Science-Based Business
ScenariosCommunity
Ethos
Defining Language and Narrative DeterminantsScience and Other Sectors
Humanistic Communications Narrative Hierarchy
Food & WaterGlobal Health
Resiliency
Media
Ethics
Economics
Science Anti-Science
Religion Homeland Security
Self-Fulfillment
Safety
Esteem
Social
Physiological
Source: Ken Wilber, Wicked Problems
Four different ways to connect one hundred people. Each circle (“node”) represents a person, and each line (“tie”) a relationship between two people. Lines with arrows indicate a directed relation- ship; in the telephone tree, one person calls another. Otherwise, ties are mutual: in the bucket brigade, full and empty buckets travel in both directions; in military squads, the connections between the sol- diers are all two-way.
ConnectedBucket Brigades, Telephone Trees and Military
Squads
Research Action Cycle
The deepest purpose of all communication: to exchangeideas and informao, to heaand be heard, to create understanding and foster connection among us (some would extend the circle beyond humans), and, ultimately, to ensure survival.
Upstream Communications
Substantial facilitation of communications went on to prepare for the floods, even weather forecasters were trained in the basic science and worked to warn residents quite early on about the link to climate change and the need for long-term strategies as a result. The message was that the floods were not going away and werent anomalous weather events. Additionally, communications workshops were facilitated across all relevant sectors…
Religion Economics Politics International
Relations Science and
Technology Engineering Sociology Psychology Community
Health Risk
ManagementEtc….
Sketch of website
Aaron will have this by Friday afternoon cuz
he’s a superstar
YES
Patagonia: Vote the Environment
Biochar as Strategy
• \
ARA-SUL, 2000
Mozambique Floods March 2000 -2010
PREPARE
Main Pont
It’s not just how to communicate.
It’s about what to communicate and how those arenas intersect.
POSITION
People survived by moving up into trees and tying themselves up there, some were stuck there for days or even weeks. They drank the contaminated waters that flowed by, grabbing crops or anything else they could eat.
PROVIDE
PROD
PRODUCE
Main Pont
PREVIEW
Main Pont
It’s not just how to communicate.
It’s about what to communicate and how those arenas intersect.
AP, 2000
BBC, 2000
Global Media Coverage
• 2007 - two days of advance warning to evacuate around 150,000 people, disbursed US$5 million
• 2008 - five days of warning to evacuate 150,000 people, disbursed US$3 million
• 2011 - ten days of warning, disbursed less than US$1 million
Notable Improvement Over Time
Source: Reuters, 2013
World Bank, GFDRR (2014)
US Air Force, 2000
Global Relief Effort
Mozambique National Institute for Disaster Management Coordination Function
World Bank, GFDRR (2014)
Process of using communications to promote multi-stakeholder engagement and drive on-the-ground actions and outcomes
● Upstream communications can be used to foster downstream outcomes
● Communications as part of the solution, not communicating the solution
Upstream Communication Benefits
Upstream Communications TakeAways
• Link sound science with beliefs and values
• Facilitate value-driven narratives
Possible IPCC Options:• Bring together a network of multidisciplinary
scientists, NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Act as a clearinghouse to processes and translate scientific data and expertise into actionable sustainability strategies.
• Facilitate science-based, action-oriented communities, networks and working groups.