Meeting Abstract
Communicating climate change research to the public, or even researchers outside of the field, can be tough. Linguistic and framing research has shown that communication differs in comprehension, “stickiness” (or how well the message is remembered), and transferability (or how well a listener can relay a lesson to others). The National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation has developed a series of tested metaphors and communication tactics based on social science research that rely on shared societal values. We present a tested metaphor to explain the mechanism of climate change called the “heat trapping blanket” and show how it can be used as a component of a larger climate communication. Through simple metaphors like the “heat trapping blanket”, climate change research is threaded through shared societal values of protection and responsible management, culminating in a call to action for the audience. Much of the presented material here is covered in greater depth in our offered workshops; more information is available at www.climateinterpreter.org. Scientists have a responsibility to participate in community conversations about climate change – here we present an effective, formulaic method for framing climate change presentations, whether it be to the public or fellow scientists.
