By Kassy Holmes
According to the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is overwhelming evidence that climate change is real, we are to blame, and unless we undertake actions to drastically reduce carbon emissions, we are dooming ourselves to a warming of more than 2 degrees, and accompanying terrifying impacts.
The IPCC report is a monumental undertaking, with inputs from more than 200 lead authors and over 600 contributors from 32 different countries. It constitutes the science community’s best assessment on climate change and yet despite the report’s resounding warnings, there is still little being done in the way of real climate action. If we know that climate change is happening, why aren’t we doing anything about it?
Perhaps one key limiting factor is that many people don’t actually really understand climate change. As NPR reported – a study this year interviewing 300 adults found that not one of them could explain the basics of global climate change. Much of this misunderstanding is arguably the result of how issues surrounding climate change have been framed, presented and discussed thus far. Too much of the climate conversation to date has been based on political rhetoric or complicated science. Charts, diagrams, data, technical concepts and principals, and futile attempts to personify carbon molecules seem to plague the science-side, while debate, diatribe and ineptitude prevail within politics.
How can we change the conversation?
In an effort to combat a growing trend of debate and jargon, several organizations and innovative individuals have taken on the challenge of re-framing issues related to climate change by using art, games, music, and non-formal education techniques to help people better grasp the core principles and issues at play.
Here are some innovative examples that might help you think differently about climate change:
For those who of you who are musically-minded, check out Daniel Crawford’s haunting “Song of our Warming Planet”. Crawford, a student at the University of Minnesota, converted temperature data into music notes to create a haunting song of a planet in peril.
Art can also serve as a tool for reframing discussions about climate change. Cape Farewell, a not-for-profit developed by artist David Buckland, is leading the way by utilizing visual imagery, digital media, film and other forms of artistic expression to help society better understand the social, economic, and scientific dimensions of climate change. CLIMARTE has similar goals and aims to “engage and inspire action on climate change” through facilitating art events, open dialogues, and forums. One of my favorite examples of using art and literature to explain climate change is this visualization of the IPCC report findings condensed into illustrated Haikus.
Many organizations are keeping it simple by taking technical concepts and synthesizing them into ideas that are easy to understand. The aforementioned NPR article leads readers to a great video that explains climate change in less than a minute, courtesy of howglobalwarmingworks.org. Other organizations are letting imagery speak for itself – check out NASA’s climate reel for some beautiful, yet harrowing videos of our warming planet.
To make learning more fun, several organizations have created interactive resources and activities that teachers, students, parents and adults can download (often for free!), which promote hands-on learning about climate change issues.
The Rainforest Alliance, for example, has downloadable climate change curriculum for students that emphasizes hands-on learning as the basis for educating students about the climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency and NASA also have many resources and hands-on activities.
The Polar Learning and Responding (PoLAR) Climate Change Education Partnership, promotes hands-on leaning through the use of games and activities focused on the Arctic and Antarctic poles. When you think of “games”, children often come to mind, but PoLAR is using games to help educate adults, thus challenging assumptions about the use of informal education techniques and tools to teach complex scientific topics. And who doesn’t love games?
These are just some examples of the innovative approaches being undertaken to increase public understanding about climate change. There are many different ways to talk and learn about climate change, and we should embrace new opportunities to increase public dialogue and understanding.
I worry that people may forget that even the seemingly uninteresting science portion of the climate conservation is ultimately about people. That is, understanding how climate change will impact the wellbeing of the planet and human life. And let’s not forget that scientists are people too (for proof, check out these climate models).
While climate change does of course have its political elements, and must certainly be founded in science, society should continue to explore ways to reframe conversations about climate change and ensure that the social, cultural and human elements remain at the forefront of the conservation.
Kassy Holmes holds a master’s degree in environmental conservation education from New York University and currently serves as the Climate Program Coordinator at Rainforest Alliance. The opinions expressed within this article are solely those of the author.