Moser

Talk of the City: Engaging Urbanites on Climate Change: 

Talk of the City: Engaging Urbanites on Climate Change Susanne C. Moser, Ph.D. Institute for the Study of Society & Environment National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO Climate Change and Urban Areas: A UK/US Dialogue · London · April 3-4, 2006 Source of photograph: Fontana, Franco, Urban Landscape of Venice, CA, 1990

Overview: 

Overview Focus: Urban residents – why we need to engage them in the climate dialogue Who is talking with whom? The challenge of effective communication Engagement strategies Key take-home messages

Why Engage Urbanites on Climate Change?: 

Why Engage Urbanites on Climate Change? Mitigation Day-to-day energy use and emissions Buildings (home and office) Transportation (commuting, business, leisure) Consumption (food, appliances etc.) Land use Adaptation Atmospheric hazards Flooding, storms, erosion, landslides, fire Heat and air pollution Multiple stresses, other global changes

Who are we talking with?Introducing…: 

Who are we talking with? Introducing… “Kathy” and “Peter” Single parent Young to middle-aged Educated Professional, 9-5 job Middle class Suburban home owner, car-dependent Busy, distracted by children, job, errands, day-to-day responsibilities Average level of environmental concern Concerned about their children’s future

Introducing…: 

Introducing… “Jim” and “Barb” Married, three children Middle-aged Max. high-school education On unemployment, on nightshift at factory/store Working class, low income Inner-city renter Old cars, users of public transportation Economically struggling Politically disenfranchised Concerned about local issues, day-to-day sustenance, justice Community-oriented

Introducing…: 

Introducing… “Jill” and “Jason” Single, maybe partnered “Yuppies” Highly educated (MBA, Ph.D.) Professional Upper middle class 2 homes, 2 cars In positions of responsibility, influence Business-oriented, maybe selfish Varying degrees of concern about environment, climate, others in society Cosmopolitan

Introducing…: 

Introducing… “Elisa” and “Carl” Married, children Middle-aged, older Well educated Professional, civil service Middle class Renter, commuter Civic-minded, service-oriented Professionally interested and informed Concerned about urban matters (business, environment, climate)

Audience implications: 

Audience implications Where and when to reach people What matters to them (values, concerns, aspirations etc.) How much knowledge of climate change they have Which language resonates How to frame the climate issue What people can actually do or change The opportunities and barriers they face The needs they have to actively and sustainably engage > One-size communication does NOT fit all!

Who are the messengers?: 

Who are the messengers? Scientists Busy Focused on the science (physical, env. science) Untrained in public communication/outreach Government officials Speaking the “party line” Some with mandate to “neutrally educate” the public NGOs (pro and con) Advocacy for political (in)action Few merely focused on non-partisan “education” All of the above: typically, media-ated Political economy of the news business Journalistic norms of “balance” “Sound bite culture”

Messenger implications: 

Messenger implications Lack of training, understanding of communication process Everyone is busy, lacks resources for communication and outreach Available information is sensationalized, politicized, truncated, inadequate to understand and address complex issues Messengers trusted to varying degrees Uncertainty and partisan controversy are turn-offs for public Engagement with climate change is superficial at best

The challenge for effective communication: 

The challenge for effective communication For communication to be effective, i.e., to facilitate a desired social change, it must accomplish two things: (1) sufficiently elevate and maintain the motivation to change a practice or policy & (2) contribute to lowering barriers and resistance to doing so

Improving communication: 

Improving communication Strategically select your audience Learn about mental models; levels of understanding; interests, values, and concerns Match message content, framing, and audience values Make global warming “local”, salient

Improving communication(cont.): 

Improving communication (cont.) Lead with certainty, but never misrepresent uncertainty Move beyond the science Use PLUs: Match messenger with audience; broaden the circle Beware of message reception! Offer solutions, practical help, and hope

Elevating motivation: 

Elevating motivation What is motivating differs among people Greater understanding, knowledge Deeply held beliefs, concerns, values Social norms, social influence Aspirations, identity Bottom line and risk of financial loss Political gain Legal mandates Direct impacts of climate change A vision of a worthwhile future

Overcoming barriers: 

Overcoming barriers Break through disinterest, apathy, information filters with surprise and novelty Recognize the cost of changing habits of thought and behavior Provide concrete solution information Identify, engage sources of social support Use institutions as “laboratories”

Facilitating social change : 

Facilitating social change There is NO ONE scale or sector on which to focus efforts – but: strategic choice in a given polit.-econ. context Instead: countless leverage points to initiate social change (bottom-up, top-down, across) Small changes plow the ground, spread symbolic message Don’t forego deeper social changes and be especially mindful of long-term decisions

Key take-home messages: 

Key take-home messages Make communication central, not an afterthought Choose audiences carefully, strategically, and tailor communication accordingly Train the communicators Move from one-way information delivery to engaging dialogue Reach out to the heretofore not yet engaged Go beyond science and impacts and focus on solutions and capacity building Begin visioning a future worth fighting for and identify measures of progress

Further resources(a small sampling): 

Further resources (a small sampling) DEFRA/Futerra http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/comms/comms2.htm http://www.climatechallenge.gov.uk/ The Communication Initiative http://www.comminit.com/ Communication for Social Change Consortium (CFSC) http://www.communicationforsocialchange.org/ Conservation International http://www.conservation.org/xp/CIWEB/programs/awareness Tools of Change: Proven Methods for Promoting Environmental Citizenship http://www.cbsm.com/Reports/Tools.pdf

Thank you!: 

Thank you! Acknowledgements My colleague Lisa Dilling (CIRES, University of Colorado-Boulder) The >45 colleagues contributing to this project MacArthur Foundation, NCAR, NSF for funding For further information: smoser@ucar.edu http://www.isse.ucar.edu/communication/ Moser, SC & L Dilling (2004). Making Climate Hot: Communicating the Urgency and Challenge of Climate Change. Environment 46(11): 36-46. Moser, SC & L Dilling (eds., forthcoming). Creating a Climate for Change: Communicating Climate Change and Facilitating Social Change. Cambridge University Press.