HR: 09:30h
AN: ED31D-07 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Communicating the Urgency and Challenge of Global Climate Change: Lessons Learned and New Strategies
AU: * Dilling, L
EM: ldilling@ucar.edu
AF: Institute for the Study of Society and Environment (ISSE), National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 United States
AU: Moser, S C
EM: smoser@ucar.edu
AF: Institute for the Study of Society and Environment (ISSE), National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 United States
AB: Climate change can sometimes be characterized as a "creeping environmental problem"--it is complex and long-term, involves long system lags, lacks the immediacy of everyday experience and thus is hard to perceive, and feels overwhelming to most individuals. Climate change thus does not typically attain the status of an urgent concern, taking priority over other matters for individuals, organizations or in the policy arena. We review the major reasons behind this lack of urgency, and document the observed consequences of previous communication strategies, including lack of public understanding, indifference, confusion, fear and uncertainty. We find that certain emotional motivators such as fear and guilt, while oft-employed, do not actually result in improved recognition of the urgency of the issue, nor do they typically result in action. Rather, positive and engaging approaches may be more likely to achieve this goal. We propose seven strategies to improve the communication of climate change and its urgency: 1) Abide by basic communication rules and heed the warnings of communication experts; 2) Address the emotional and the temporal components of "urgency"; 3) Increase the persuasiveness of the message; 4) Use trusted messengers-broaden the circle; 5) Use opportunities well; 6) Tap into individual and cultural strengths and values; and 7) Unite and Conquer. The multi-faceted nature of the proposed strategies reflects the unique challenges of the climate change issue as well as the need to engage all levels and sectors of societies in the solution, from individuals, to businesses, to governments. These strategies and results emerged from a multi-disciplinary, academic/practitioner workshop on the topic held at NCAR in summer 2004.
UR: http://www.esig.ucar.edu/changeworkshop/index.html
DE: 6300 POLICY SCIENCES
DE: 6600 PUBLIC ISSUES
DE: 1600 GLOBAL CHANGE (New category)
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting