Meeting Abstract
Scientists, especially biologists, are well positioned to play a time-critical role in educating the public about the ongoing impacts of global climate change and ocean acidification. Despite a recent diminishment of the perceived value of science in American societal affairs, the public generally respects the opinion and objectivity of scientists. So how do biologists communicate effectively with the public on the contentious issue of climate change? One approach is for biologists to author topical op-eds, popular magazine articles, and books to engage diverse, general audiences. In my first book, Lost Antarctica, I used stories of Antarctic adventure and natural history to frame a narrative of polar climate change and ocean acidification. Media generated from the book reached an estimated 5 million readers/listeners/viewers. In my second book, A Naturalist Goes Fishing, I used stories of fishing adventures to engage readers in a narrative of conservation, climate change, and ocean acidification. The prospective audience includes the thirty-five million Americans that fish. Another approach to climate change education is to establish links between a spiritually-based stewardship of the earth and anthropogenic climate change. I recently co-directed a successful three-day climate change workshop that was attended by individuals of different religious backgrounds, including a number of faith leaders in positions to influence those under their guidance. My collective experiences in global environmental outreach indicate that biologists are in a unique position to significantly further the public’s appreciation of anthropogenic climate change, its serious implications, and hope for a better future. I wish to acknowledge the support of an Endowed Professorship in Polar and Marine Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
