Thermometers give us the same answer, no matter how we vote. Over the last two decades, though, climate change has become one of the most politicized topics in the U.S. Today, the best predictor of whether someone accepts the findings of climate science is simply where they fall on the political spectrum.
How can we effectively communicate in such a difficult environment? I’ve found that it is often possible to move forward by recognizing and addressing the real barriers, which are more related to tribalism, identity, and solution aversion than to a scarcity of data and facts.
Here, I share the framework I use and some practical examples of how to bypass much of the “he said-she said” stalemate in climate outreach and communication, transitioning instead towards positive action based on a foundation of shared values and concerns.
This recorded lecture is a modified version of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Distinguished Lecture that I gave at the University of Colorado - Boulder in September 2018 that was re-recorded due to audio issues with the original live recording.
