Research-Based Climate Change Public Education Programs

2017 ◽  
pp. 992-1003
Author(s):  
Mary Beth Hartman
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Public Education ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Opinion Leadership ◽  
Issue Framing ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Effective Strategies

Despite widespread natural disasters being linked to a warming planet, Americans continue to be a nation divided on climate change-related issues. This division and resulting disengagement stand between the implementation of new and effective policies. There is a critical need to move beyond the gridlocked debate on global warming to a place where decision makers can begin to develop effective strategies to make our communities and future more resilient. An informed and engaged public is necessary to implement change. Utilizing the research behind science communication, opinion leadership, and issue framing, effective public education programs and campaigns can be developed to build public understanding and engagement. This is explored in this chapter.

Research-Based Climate Change Public Education Programs

2014 ◽  
pp. 1113-1123
Author(s):  
Mary Beth Hartman
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Public Education ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Opinion Leadership ◽  
Issue Framing ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Effective Strategies

Despite widespread natural disasters being linked to a warming planet, Americans continue to be a nation divided on climate change-related issues. This division and resulting disengagement stand between the implementation of new and effective policies. There is a critical need to move beyond the gridlocked debate on global warming to a place where decision makers can begin to develop effective strategies to make our communities and future more resilient. An informed and engaged public is necessary to implement change. Utilizing the research behind science communication, opinion leadership, and issue framing, effective public education programs and campaigns can be developed to build public understanding and engagement. This is explored in this chapter.

scholarly journals The Teach-in on Global Warming Solutions and Vygotsky: Fostering ecological action and environmental citizenship

2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mishka Lysack
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Public Education ◽  
Zone Of Proximal Development ◽  
Environmental Movement ◽  
Proximal Development ◽  
University Of Calgary ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Ecological Action ◽  
The University

Abstract The Teach-in on Global Warming Solutions is part of a larger socio-environmental movement concerned with combating climate change. Highlighting the history and elements of the teach-in as a model of learning, the article examines the teach-in movement, using a local event at the University of Calgary as an illustration. Conceptual resources from Vygotsky – the Zone of Proximal Development, and learning as social/relational transaction – are used to illuminate specific aspects of the teach-in. The article concludes by discussing the challenges and opportunities facing the global warming movement regarding public education.

Mass communication and public understanding of environmental problems: the case of global warming

2000 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith R. Stamm ◽  
Fiona Clark ◽  
Paula Reynolds Eblacas
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Mass Communication ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
General Sense

Public understanding of global warming, also known as global climate change, is treated here as an example of a mass communication problem that has yet to be adequately solved. A survey of metropolitan area residents found that although people are aware of this problem in a general sense, understanding of particular causes, possible consequences, and solutions is more limited. Both mass media and interpersonal communication appear to make a positive contribution to understanding, as well as to perpetuating some popular misconceptions.

scholarly journals Humans are interpersonal beings – why isn’t science communication interpersonal?

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 185
Author(s):  
Curtis Martin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy ◽  
Shared Stories ◽  
Conversational Language ◽  
Environmental Decision

Weak science communication coupled with misinformation and disinformation has resulted in major challenges for environmental decision-makers, particularly in areas of climate change and marine renewable energy. Interpersonal communication strategies provide the means of facilitating a shift to two-way communication, as they encourage science conversations between communicators and citizens. Science communicators should make themselves more personally known to their audiences. They should communicate using shared stories and conversational language to enable them to relate better with their audiences. In addition, institutions, agencies, networks, and organizations should adapt and support the use of interpersonal strategies by their science communicators.  

The Gender Dimension in Urban Air Quality

2019 ◽  
pp. 97-108
Author(s):  
Theodora Slini ◽  
Fotini-Niovi Pavlidou
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Urban Air ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
And Control ◽  
Global And Local

In the frame of existing differences between genders regarding the access and control of resources, women and men have different vulnerability, capacities, and reactions to climate change and global warming issues and policies. Women are increasingly recognized as potentially critical actors of successful climate change policies. Thus, gender dimensions and perspectives need to be addressed by both global and local stakeholders and decision makers. The current chapter explores and highlights this gap. It identifies the current situation and indicates ways for authorities to integrate the gender dimension of climate change in the various stages of policy making. The focus is on European countries and Greece. The chapter stands as a starting point that introduces gender-sensitive aspects of climate change to decision makers and experts and promotes the development of efficient environmental and women-friendly technologies for sustainable development.

Transitioning to a Prosperous, Resilient and Carbon-Free Economy

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Early Adoption ◽  
Weather Events

This book is a comprehensive manual for decision-makers and policy leaders addressing the issues around human caused climate change, which threatens communities with increasing extreme weather events, sea level rise, and declining habitability of some regions due to desertification or inundation. The book looks at both mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming and adaption to changing conditions as the climate changes. It encourages the early adoption of climate change measures, showing that rapid decarbonisation and improved resilience can be achieved while maintaining prosperity. The book takes a sector-by-sector approach, starting with energy and includes cities, industry, natural resources, and agriculture, enabling practitioners to focus on actions relevant to their field. It uses case studies across a range of countries, and various industries, to illustrate the opportunities available. Blending technological insights with economics and policy, the book presents the tools decision-makers need to achieve rapid decarbonisation, whilst unlocking and maintaining productivity, profit, and growth.

scholarly journals Balance (Climate and Environment Coverage)

10.34778/2o ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Mahl ◽  
Lars Guenther
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
New York Times ◽  
The United States ◽  
Anthropogenic Global Warming ◽  
The Us ◽  
Prestige Press ◽  
Anthropogenic Contributions

Balance – as a journalistic norm in the domain of climate change reporting – is measured by analyzing both coverage of the debate over anthropogenic contributions to global warming (i.e., the existence of anthropogenic global warming) and coverage of decisions regarding action on global warming (i.e., actions regarding global warming) (Boykoff & Boykoff, 2004). Field of application/theoretical foundation: Balance is a commonly investigated and internationally agreed-upon journalistic norm that ensures that journalists portray different sides of a story in a neutral and objective way (Westerståhl, 1983). In science reporting, more specifically in reporting on climate change, this journalistic norm can lead to biased reporting in that sense that journalistic coverage does not mirror the scientific understanding (i.e., climate change does exist and action is needed) (Boykoff & Boykoff, 2004). References/combination with other methods of data collection: There are experimental studies that test the effects of differentially balanced news stories (e.g., Clarke et al., 2014; Dixon & Clarke, 2012), largely confirming that balanced coverage reduces confidence in a scientific consensus and heightens uncertainty of science, risks, etc. Example studies: Boykoff & Boykoff (2004); Boykoff (2007); Clarke (2008); Clarke et al. (2014); Dixon & Clarke (2012)   Information on Boykoff & Boykoff, 2004 Authors: Maxwell T. Boykoff & Jules M. Boykoff Research question: The prevalence of the norm of balance in reporting on climate change and the degree to what this coverage’s adherence to balance led to biased coverage of both anthropogenic contributions to global warming (i.e., its existence) and resultant action. Object of analysis: A sample (636 articles) of the US prestige-press coverage of global warming, i.e., New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal Time frame of analysis: between 1988 and 2002 Info about variables Variables: Two measures of balance: (a) Coverage of the debate over anthropogenic contributions to global warming (i.e., existence) (b) Coverage of decisions regarding action on global warming (i.e., action) Level of analysis: Newspaper article Variables and values: (a) First measure: Coverage of the debate over anthropogenic contributions to global warming (i.e., existence) Article only presents argument that anthropogenic global warming exists, clearly distinct from natural variations Article presents both sides, but emphasizes that anthropogenic global warming exists, still distinct from natural variation Article presents a balanced account of debates surrounding existence of anthropogenic global warming Article presents both sides, but emphasizes dubious nature of the claim that anthropogenic global warming exists (b) Second measure: Coverage of decisions regarding action on global warming (i.e., action) Dominant coverage of decisions/assertions regarding immediate/mandatory action to deal with global warming Balanced accounts of various decisions regarding action Dominant coverage of decisions/assertions regarding cautious/voluntary approaches to deal with global warming Reliability: Intercoder reliability rate of 93% Codebook: Table 1 in Boykoff & Boykoff (2004, p. 128)   References Boykoff, M. T., & Boykoff, J. M. (2004). Balance as bias: Global warming and the US prestige press. Global Environmental change 14, 125-136. doi: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2003.10.001 Boykoff, M. T. (2007). Flogging a dead norm? Newspaper coverage of anthropogenic climate change in the United States and United Kingdom from 2003 to 2006. Area 39(2), 470-481. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-4762.2007.00769.x Clarke, C. E. (2008). A question of balance. The autism-vaccine controversy in the British and American elite press. Science Communication 30(1), 77-107. doi: 10.1177/1075547008320262 Clarke, C. E., Dixon, G. N., Holton, A., Weberling McKeever, B. (2014). Including “evidentiary balance” in news media coverage of vaccine risk. Health Communication 30(5), 461-472. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2013.867006 Dixon, G. N., & Clarke, C. E. (2012). Heightening uncertainty around certain science: Media coverage, false balance, and the autism-vaccine controversy. Science Communication, 35(3) 358-382. doi: 10.1177/1075547012458290 Westerståhl, J. (1983). Objective News Reporting General Premises. Communication Research, 10(3), 403-424. doi: 10.1177/009365083010003007

scholarly journals Accommodating Climate Change Science: James Hansen and the Rhetorical/Political Emergence of Global Warming

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard D. Besel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Policy Issue ◽  
The United States ◽  
Communication Research ◽  
Public Policy Issue ◽  
History Of

ArgumentDr. James Hansen's 1988 testimony before the U.S. Senate was an important turning point in the history of global climate change. However, no studies have explained why Hansen's scientific communication in this deliberative setting was more successful than his testimonies of 1986 and 1987. This article turns to Hansen as an important case study in the rhetoric of accommodated science, illustrating how Hansen successfully accommodated his rhetoric to his non-scientist audience given his historical conditions and rhetorical constraints. This article (1) provides a richer explanation for the rhetorical/political emergence of global warming as an important public policy issue in the United States during the late 1980s and (2) contributes to scholarly understanding of the rhetoric of accommodated science in deliberative settings, an often overlooked area of science communication research.

The Gender Dimension in Urban Air Quality

2018 ◽  
pp. 3371-3381
Author(s):  
Theodora Slini ◽  
Fotini-Niovi Pavlidou
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Urban Air ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
And Control ◽  
Global And Local

In the frame of existing differences between genders regarding the access and control of resources, women and men have also different vulnerability, capacities and reactions to climate change and global warming issues and policies. Women are increasingly recognized as potentially critical actors of successful climate change policies. Thus, gender dimensions and perspectives need to be addressed by both global and local stakeholders and decision makers. The current chapter aims at exploring and highlighting this gap. It identifies the current situation and indicates ways for authorities to integrate the gender dimension of climate change in the various stages of policy-making. The focus is on European countries and Greece. The chapter stands as a starting point which introduces gender-sensitive aspects of climate change to decision-makers and experts and promotes the development of efficient environmental and women-friendly technologies for sustainable development.

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