A Change in Our Climate Perspective - ACS Symposium Series

Chapter 8

A Change in Our Climate Perspective

Downloaded by UNIV OF FLORIDA on December 11, 2017 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date (Web): October 23, 2017 | doi: 10.1021/bk-2017-1247.ch008

Kaitlyn Teppert* University of Michigan, 440 Church St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States *E-mail: [email protected].

At COP20 in Lima, Peru, there was a measurably diminished youth presence within the conference venue. This chapter focuses on the various climate justice movements seen at the COP in an effort to highlight the younger generation’s passion to see change in the best way possible, rather than the easiest way possible. In addition, this chapter examines the ways in which individuals can effectively communicate the reality and urgency of the climate issue to those who may still be uninformed. These tactics include highlighting how to appeal to a wider audience and focusing on the appeals of social media as a new stage for major climate communication efforts.

Introduction Of all the things I experienced at the 2014 20th Conference of Parties (COP20) in Lima, Peru, from eating in historical ruins, meeting an astronaut, and walking in a crypt, I have to say that the best thing was hearing several dozen tired conference attendees singing lyrics to the tune of the Jurassic Park theme. Honestly, that moment highlights why scientists and politicians aren’t usually also pop stars. But, more on that later. Every aspect of climate change and the harm it does to the environment ties back to a way it can adversely impact humanity. Sea level rise will wipe entire island nations off of the map and destroy coastal cities around the globe (1). Increased temperature means less time for crops to grow and a northern migration of species, including diseases like yellow fever (2). Every single thing that happens to our environment also happens to us. The human aspect and implications of climate change are what captured my attention and made me so passionate to join the cause. When I was selected to © 2017 American Chemical Society Peterman et al.; Climate Change Literacy and Education The Science and Perspectives from the Global Stage Volume 1 ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


represent the American Chemical Society at COP20 in Lima, Peru, I knew that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At first, I was intimidated when I arrived at the COP20 venue at the beginning of the second week of the conference – the week in which negotiators would finalize documents and high-ranking government representatives would arrive to approve of decisions. I could feel the pressure even though I was just a UNaccredited “Observer.” I was selected to represent the ACS national Students on Climate Change (SOCC) program (3). I would serve as the eyes and ears for students and young adults who would otherwise not know what was happening at the conference. In particular, my SOCC teammates and I would be blogging and leveraging social media platforms to engage our peers in the global stage that was COP20. I was eager for the entire experience at the conference, but I was especially interested in seeing other student groups that might be similar to ours. I wanted to see how other youths were getting engaged at the event. However, I noticed almost immediately upon walking into the venue that I was surrounded by people whom I would be unable to consider my peers; everyone around me was more than a decade my senior. Within an hour of walking around the venue, trying to get used to the setting, I felt both grateful and disheartened. I was grateful because I had the opportunity to participate in such a unique program as SOCC. I was disheartened because I could see the severe lack of representation by my age group. It didn’t make sense to me then, and it still doesn’t make sense to me now. The decision makers at the conference will likely never see the worst of the devastation that climate change will wreak on our planet. My generation—my peer group—we are the ones who will inherit the governments, the companies, the society, and the Earth that will be impacted and tested through our warming world. It was a harsh awakening to see that we weren’t represented at the negotiating table where critical decisions were being made. While it was easy to get caught up in the excitement of attending events hosting notable figures, like former Vice President Al Gore and Secretary of State John Kerry, I constantly kept an eye out for other young people (4). I spotted a few in the crowds throughout the day, but not enough to convince me that we had true representation. It made me wonder if youth were even engaged in the issues. This led me to consider: how we can better communicate climate change issues to the general public? Throughout my week at COP20, a lot happened. On the COP-exclusive shuttle bus to and from the venue, I met many professionals from around the globe, who were working in all kinds of different fields related to environmental problems. Many of them were there hosting or participating in side events that promoted their organizations’ efforts to make positive changes. I still have many of their business cards. My time in Lima was the first time I truly felt like a global citizen. Seeing so many people from far-reaching corners of the globe come together to fight against a common problem was empowering. To this day, I look back to that week and remind myself that this cause is worth fighting for, and that we are not alone in the battle. 106 Peterman et al.; Climate Change Literacy and Education The Science and Perspectives from the Global Stage Volume 1 ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.

While we are not alone, we are quite far from engaging everyone. Before we can expect everyone to run out and start composting or buying electric vehicles, we must improve communication of these issues so that others can understand what the problems really are.


Problems with Past Climate Communication Techniques Living in the United States and being so closely involved with environmental issues can be frustrating. Many Americans are ignorant, purposefully or not, to the real threats of climate change (5). And it’s not entirely their fault. Communication is a two-way interaction. Historically, individuals with the important information (i.e., climate scientists) have been ineffective in communicating environmental issues to the general public in the United States. Between climate models lacking understandable information and fear messaging, it is little wonder that people do not know what to make of the topic. One of the first and most widely used techniques for communicating with the general public is that of an information-based campaign (6). Essentially, the idea is that if people are simply informed of the reality of the situation, their attitudes will become more pro-environmental, and then their behaviors will follow. They will become greener citizens. This model was established in the early 1970s, but it was eventually determined to not be insufficient. These kinds of models are called information-deficit models, based on the belief that lack of information limits a person’s decision making. One of the failings of these models is that they assume people are rational decision makers, which is not always true. Many factors come into play when people make decisions. Many decision-making techniques are shortcuts to help people save mental energy and time, rather than weighing every single pro and con for all the decisions that are made during the day. These shortcuts are called heuristics. Heuristics provide a basis for many of the personal biases we all hold, which, in turn, prevent us from always being logic-based decision makers (6, 7). Another issue is often the “distance” that can be felt when talking about climate change. Although it might feel like the exact opposite to those of us who are reasonably well-versed in the literature and understand the breadth and depth of this issue, many people think of climate change as an issue for future generations or for people in far away places. For example, the iconic polar bear image on floating ice may not be as motivating to the general public as a geographically closer impact that directly affects the individual. Giving the general public a far-away image and saying “look, climate change is happening” makes them feel like it is not a pressing threat to them, so they should not be concerned about it. These kinds of images, no matter how heartrending, may end up demotivating pro-environmental behaviors (PEB) (8, 9). People have biases regarding these two distance issues, called spatial bias and temporal bias. Spatial bias comes into play when people believe that the conditions in their region or country are better than they are elsewhere, or when people believe that they are doing a better job than other people. Temporal bias, on the other hand, is a little trickier. The farther away (in time) the issue is, the less motivated 107 Peterman et al.; Climate Change Literacy and Education The Science and Perspectives from the Global Stage Volume 1 ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


people feel to do something about it. This phenomenon is also called temporal discounting. This is one of the main issues in getting people to make sacrifices now for a potential gain later. If the potential gain is too far away in time, it will not feel salient to an individual, and (s)he will not be motivated to reach that goal (10). Additionally, there is fear messaging. This may be the most difficult means of communication to avoid. Fear messaging is closely tied with information deficit models and has permeated climate change communication. For example, one of the biggest and most well-known documentaries accessible to the general public is An Inconvenient Truth, which depicts a rather bleak outlook for the environment. At the heart of the issue, fear messaging often conflicts with people’s belief systems. For example, there is a significant number of people who hold a “just world” view – the idea that the world is fair, orderly, and stable. Dire fear messaging often highlights something we do not know will happen for certain, such as chaos and unpredictable catastrophe (such as extreme storms) becoming commonplace. This kind of message directly conflicts with the thoughts of those who hold the just world belief. Their heuristics and biases kick in, effectively causing them to shut down and ignore the message. This occurrence effectively negates the message and may demotivate any PEB (11). It should be noted that these are problems facing communication efforts not geared towards people who already believe in climate change. Nearly everyone gathered at COP20 was of the same mindset: climate change is happening, humans caused it, and we must do something about it now. This is why Al Gore’s COP20 presentation about recent events and findings with respect to climate change included multiple clips of people being washed out of their homes by massive floods. The fear messaging used in that presentation probably got through to a lot of people. As attendees who were climate literate, we were able to take in the information, understand what it meant, and align it with our values; the issue did not feel distant. It became salient to us that there is a problem happening now. This reoccurred numerous times throughout different break-out sessions and lectures I attended throughout the week. In order to get audience attention, intense, dire facts were thrown at us, and it was motivating. In fact, after COP20, I made even more lifestyle changes to lower my carbon footprint. Unfortunately, we are still a subset of the population, especially in the United States. These kinds of messages simply will not work in a general outreach program. So what can we do?

Neutral Messaging The political divide between the American populous is vast, which, in turn, has divided environmental attitudes. In general, political liberals are more likely to believe in climate change and partake in PEBs, while political conservatives are not. People may consider themselves to be liberal or conservative for many reasons, but part of their belief comes from their perception of morality. In general, liberals tend to care more about protecting other people and upholding 108 Peterman et al.; Climate Change Literacy and Education The Science and Perspectives from the Global Stage Volume 1 ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


social justice for all populations. Conservatives, on the other hand, tend to favor in-group loyalty, respecting authority, and preserving sanctity (12). One of the few benefits in the breadth of the climate change issue is that something in everyone’s life will be affected by climate change. Thus, there should be a way to get through to anyone regarding an environmental issue, even if it means completely avoiding the words “climate change” to sidestep a politicized term. Unfortunately, many of the messages perpetuated by the mainstream media focus mainly on framing these issues in a way that is more likely to appeal to liberals, thus furthering the polarization between the two major groups in the United States. However, all is not lost. When presented with environmental messages framed in a way that appeal to their pre-existing values, conservatives are more likely to endorse a PEB (12). It follows, then, that knowing your audience can be half the battle. To make the most effective message, you need to match your audience’s values and world views. If it seems difficult to spin some of these issues, a good way of reaching people who may not be as supportive of “climate change” or PEB is through the emphasis of co-benefits. For example, public (and personal) health concerns can be highlighted to break down barriers and help humanize the issue. In addition, the potential for economic savings (perhaps by switching to more energy-efficient appliances) or economic gain for the country (for example, if the United States was to invest in solar technology and push ahead of other countries) could be used as well. Through these means, the moral argument is still valid—especially on a local scale. Locally, opportunities lie in emphasizing preservation of a specific habitat that a person knows well and feels connected to – maybe that person goes on regular camping or fishing trips to a given location and can be encouraged to change behaviors in order to preserve it. It is important to note that not all “liberals” or “conservatives” fall into prescribed buckets, especially over time. If you are trying to reach people who may not be entirely inclined to listen in the first place, there is often a way to reach them if you avoid biased messaging or include multiple viewpoints. At COP20, for example, there were people from every part of the globe with widely different backgrounds. Though some of us were interested in climate justice, others green technology, or policy. Regardless, we all found something that made us passionate about fighting climate change.

Readable Messages Individuals are prone to make misinformed decisions if information is not presented in a way that can be understood (13). Without context, people will not know where to begin (14). As an example, simply telling someone that sea level rise will threaten coastlines without also explaining that “an island nation that currently exists will be underwater” will not give people an idea of what exactly is threatened or the severity of the threat, making the statement lose its impact (1). Sometimes climate science can become confusing and complicated, even for the experts. Imagine being a person with no background in climate science who 109 Peterman et al.; Climate Change Literacy and Education The Science and Perspectives from the Global Stage Volume 1 ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


has not taken a math class in more than ten years and is shown a graph from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) annual report about projected sea level rise. The information shown is probably not going to stick. This is not a coincidence. In general, people are notoriously unskilled at dealing with numbers (15). In a study testing the ability of an analogy to help people understand what should be done to stabilize carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, researchers ran two versions of the analogy. One presented participants with the analogy and a graphical representation of the problem, while the other presented the analogy without a graph. Even though, in theory, more information should help an individual to better understand an issue, the group presented with the graph ended up with less understanding. Considering how often we see graphs supporting the latest climate statistics, it is no surprise that people understand very little about what is really going on (15). It is important to keep in mind that, due to the concept of an attribute overload, when given too much information, an individual is likely going to mentally shut down (14). Even if a message is long, it should be broken up into shorter sections to help the recipient digest everything that is being presented.

Promote Self-Efficacy: Yes I Can! Self-efficacy is an individual’s perception of her or his ability to accomplish a task, or a feeling of empowerment. It plays a major role in the difference between whether or not someone adopts a behavior. Along with this notion is the fantasy realization theory, a theory that predicts goal commitment. That is, When you have a goal in mind, if you expect to succeed, then you will commit to that goal and be likely to pursue the steps you must take to fulfill it. On the other hand, it follows that, if you do not expect to succeed at your goal, then you are not likely to commit to that goal or pursue behaviors that will help you achieve that goal (16). This theory causes a problem when it comes to people participating in PEB. In the face of a civilization-challenging issue like climate change, it can seem nearly impossible for individuals to feel like their actions make any difference. Unfortunately, that feeling of defeat usually results in people taking the path of least resistance, and as it stands right now in the United States, that is often an environmentally dirty path. In addition, there is the very real aspect of “experiencing is believing.” While it is hard to let people experience climate change, when it does happen, it should be a communication motivator, which happens well at the local level. For example, if an area that is not usually prone to floods gets flooded, it is an opportune time to tie that event back to changing environmental conditions and incite PEB in individuals who were not participating in them already. Their sense of perceived risk can be increased (17). Additionally, the issue can be shrunk, in the sense that people know they can take steps to help their community with these PEB, which will, in turn, provide these individuals with a feeling of making a difference. Another way of promoting self-efficacy is by providing people with an idea of what behaviors they can choose. Rather than just showering them in information about what is going to happen, adding information about what they can do allows 110 Peterman et al.; Climate Change Literacy and Education The Science and Perspectives from the Global Stage Volume 1 ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


people to feel like they have response options (18). Information alone is not enough. The more details about how to start these behaviors, the more impactful they will be. For me, COP20 was a great place to get a feeling of self-efficacy. First, by attending the conference, I felt like I was able to contribute by posting articles on our Students on Climate Change blog. Beyond that, I learned about many other ways I could make a difference. However, I did not just want to incorporate others’ ways of making a difference into my life. I wanted to assess how people are making these differences and determine how we can take it even further. For this fresh perspective, I turned to my own generation.

COP20’s Youth Presence and a Just Solution At COP 20, I found four major youth protests that stood out to me, which included Climate Action Network’s (CAN) “Fossil of the Day,” SustainUS’s “Climate Test,” the Korean Youth Delegation’s “Climate Debt,” and the Canadian Youth Delegation’s “Don’t Discount My Future.” The Fossil of the Day was held at the end of each conference day to draw attention to the countries that have been the biggest roadblocks on the path to forming an agreement. The Climate Test was a “test” created to see if different environmental policies around the world were helping on the road to a just transition to a livable future for all. The Climate Debt pertained to having individual people (those of us at the COP) sign a receipt that tallied the costs (so far and expected) of climate change on people around the globe, in order to encourage everyone to share the responsibility of “paying off” the climate debt. Don’t Discount My Future included a group of young adults who silently protested for those not yet been born who will inherit the world we leave behind—whatever that world will one day become. More importantly, the underlying similarity between all of the protests was globalization. Any agreement that is made must, not only be agreed upon universally, but it must also include everyone. For example, many large developed countries, such as the United States, are very focused on climate change mitigation, which means they want to focus on cutting down emissions and building infrastructure for the future (19). However, there are many poor or developing nations that are vulnerable to climate change and may have already felt its devastating impact (20). Those countries need a global agreement to put heavy emphasis on climate change adaptation, so that, as time moves on, these countries are not casualties. In the four protests, the emphasis of globalization ensured that the voices of the smaller countries were heard and considered. These protests embody what the youth groups represent and have in common. Climate change can no longer be considered something that is only happening to our planet. Instead, youth assert that it is something that is happening to us, the human race. For my generation, it’s not about how much money it will cost the global economy. It’s about the lives we will lose if we don’t do something about this issue. We are no longer fighting to save our planet, but to save ourselves. 111 Peterman et al.; Climate Change Literacy and Education The Science and Perspectives from the Global Stage Volume 1 ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.

It is not about the easy solution. It is about the best solution. This is what my generation is trying to communicate.


A New Stage for Climate Communication: Social Media Climate communication has not been very effective in the past because of many different roadblocks. However, the stage that social media presents (emphasizing concise ideas, allowing comments and questions) is conducive to climate and other environmental messaging. Social media has become a prominent force in everyday communication. As it gains popularity, it also changes how people communicate (21). Communication about environmental issues, especially climate change, can be greatly enhanced through the use of social media. This is especially true for communication that targets changing people’s behaviors towards PEB. I am pleased to be a part of SOCC, a program that one day may be looked upon as a leader and pioneer of this idea. The blog we run during the COPs is one of a kind, embodying good communication techniques. The premise of our blog is to create articles that are readable and relatable, in order to reach people who otherwise would have no idea what went on at the COPs. We not only run a blog, but we promote it on different social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We promote a global outreach that attempts to impact many people, but it does not have specific behavior changes in mind. However, I believe that social media can be used to spur behavior changes. The internet allows people to learn something about anything they want to know. By hosting an environmentally focused social media page on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc., we can promote PEB changes. For example, YouTube videos allow us to overcome problems of “readability.” Videos allow a person to see a behavior, such as recycling or composting, pause, and rewatch it as many times as needed to understand the concept. Twitter and Instagram are excellent stages for short, concise information sharing. By seeing other individuals doing these things and feeling like they are making a difference, people may be more likely to gain a higher sense of self-efficacy when considering those behaviors. These kinds of posts can encourage millions of people to become engaged with the behavior. Beyond promoting individual behaviors, community forums, such as the ones on Facebook, help members of that community stay connected. Additonally, they can update each other throughout the year. A heightened sense of closeness with a community could encourage actions like planting community gardens or promote a higher sense of responsibility for taking care of a local environment. Before the internet, most people surrounded themselves with individuals of like mindsets—people who shared experiences very similar to their own. By connecting individuals on a global scale, the internet enables people who never would have otherwise interacted to “meet” each other, and perhaps gain a better understanding of the ways in which someone else—someone who is very different from them—experiences life. Encouraging diversity is imperative to finding ways 112 Peterman et al.; Climate Change Literacy and Education The Science and Perspectives from the Global Stage Volume 1 ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


to fight climate change and helping people become familiar with others who are different from them can allow the general public to embrace new ideas. The world seems a lot smaller now that it is possible to communicate instantly with someone who is on the other side of the world. The SOCC program helps contribute to this feeling of being a global citizen in a more tangible and direct way. My COP20 experience elevated the sense of importance I felt towards improving climate communication efforts. I believe that, by following through with different messaging tactics that have the ability to appeal to a large audience, more people can become motivated to adopt PEBs, and we can all join in this fight – not as a small program or as one conference, but as one global community.

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A Change in Our Climate Perspective - ACS Symposium Series

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