Public land workshop tackles communicating climate change

Schweizer, Sarah, Jessica L. Thompson, Tara Teel, and Brett Bruyere. 2009. Strategies for Communicating About Climate Change Impacts on Public Lands. Science Communication, 31 (2): 266-274.

The researchers discuss a three-day workshop held in 2008 by the State of Colorado. The workshop covered opportunities and challenges related to communicating climate change on public lands. The workshop included 41 land managers and scientists. After presentations by climate change scientists, the workshop started. It included four components: creating message themes, communicating complex scientific topics to the public, exploring what other agencies are doing in regards to climate change communication, and finally, through breakout sections, designing communication strategies (268-269).

Later, after several presentations and information sessions, the workshop developed the following list of key messages about climate change impacts (verbatim list, 270).
- Human choices have an impact on climate change.
- The impacts of climate change are occurring more quickly than initially predicted.
- The future will look different, and we must adapt to it.
- Climate change impacts will vary by location. Some area will become hotter, some colder; some drier, and some wetter.
- Climate change is like gravity—it affects everyone.
- Climate change affects you and the places important to you.
- Addressing climate change will require a combination of actions at multiple scales, from international, national, state, and local policy to individual behaviors.
- Climate change will have significant social and economic impacts. This is a matter of not only saving the planet but also saving ourselves.
- You can help make a difference in addressing climate change.

The workshop attendees agreed that these messages could draw more attention and lead to action among several audiences. Communication should focus on local climate change impacts that are current and resonate with community stakeholders. For me, the interesting outcome from this workshop was how non-communicators, after a little prepping, were able to come up with some solid messages that could benefit their organizations’ communication plans.