Depolariz ing Climate Conversat ions Aaron Huertas Science Communications Officer twitter.com/ aaronhuertas ahuertas@ucsu rg
Dec 30, 2015
DepolarizingClimateConversationsAaron HuertasScience Communications Officer
twitter.com/aaronhuertas [email protected]
• Why do some people reject climate science?• Why do some people who accept it feel
hopeless?• How can scientists help people overcome
these biases?
Shifting public opinion on climate change: an empirical assessment of factors influencing concern over climate change in the U.S., 2002–2010Robert J. Brulle, Jason Carmichael, J. Craig Jenkins Climatic Change 03 Feb 2012
Huertas A., Kriegsman R. Science or Spin: Assessing the Accuracy of Cable News Coverage of Climate Science 2013ucsusa.org/scienceorspin
Hierarchical Egalitarian
Archives.gov
Risk and Culture: An Essay on the Selection of Technological and Environmental Dangers, Mary Douglas and Aaron Wildavsky 1982
Centurion Health Corporation
Communitarian
High Country Press
Individualist
Kahan, Dan M., Jenkins-Smith, Hank and Braman, Donald, Cultural Cognition of Scientific Consensus (February 7, 2010). Journal of Risk Research, Vol. 14, pp. 147-74, 2011
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Perceptions of Scientific Agreement on Climate Change
Expertsagree
Expertsdisagreeor are divided
Scientists need to stay true to the science
AND
They have to respect the fact that people have different values and political ideologies
“As scientists, we’re the map makers. As policymakers, you’re the navigators…” -- marine science and chemistry professor David Hastings (Eckerd College in Florida)
• “Climate change threats to our coasts”• OR• “Coastal hazards: erosion, storms,
development and rising seas”
How is your talk being promoted?
Sequencing – When to bring up climate?
• Climate change is a hazard on our coasts• We’ve tracked 10 inches of sea-level rise
historically• We have a best estimate of 1.3 feet of sea-
level rise by 2050• This is happening alongside coastal threats
from erosion, development, storms
• We’re already dealing with coastal threats from erosion, development, storms
• We’ve tracked 10 inches of sea-level rise historically
• We best estimate of 1.3 feet of sea-level rise by 2050
• So climate change is an additional hazard on our coasts that we can prepare for
Sequencing – When to bring up climate?
“The impacts of climate change may increase the frequency, scale, and complexity of future missions…” – Department of Defense Quadrennial Defense Review
Military Voices
“Climate change is a national security challenge…it will affect the type, scope, and location of future Navy missions.” – U.S. Navy Climate Change Roadmap
Businesses
“There is growing recognition that addressing the risk of climate change will require significant efforts by both the developed and the developing world.” – Exxon-Mobil
“We realize we need to prepare for a future when carbon dioxide emissions must be reduced.” – Duke Energy
“Energy and climate represent two of the most important business challenges of this century….” – General Electric
Freedom and Taxes
Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Green Tea Coalition (image from Green Tea’s facebook profile)
Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Theleek.com
CarbonBrief.org
Point to Movement, Along with Adequacy
ucsusa.org
Sanford et al. NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE | VOL 4 | MARCH 2014
Percent of Older Subjects Remembering False Claims as True
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