Communicating Climate Change Risk: A Content Analysis of IPCC’s Summary for Policymakers

P Marijn Poortvliet,Bob C Mulder,Meredith T Niles,Saskia E Werners,Jeroen A Veraart,Fiona C Korporaal

doi:10.3390/su12124861

P Marijn Poortvliet, Bob C Mulder + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su12124861

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Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of climate change risk communication in terms of its theoretical potential to stimulate recipients’ awareness and behavioral change. We selected the summary for policy makers (SPM) of the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in order to conduct a content analysis; the extended parallel process model and construal level theory served as conceptual lenses to perform the analysis. Specifically, we evaluated to what extent the SPM included informational elements of threat, efficacy and psychological distance related to climate change. The results showed that threat information was prominently present, but efficacy information was less frequently included, and when it was, more often in the latter parts of the SPM. With respect to construal level it was found that in the IPCC report concrete representations were used only sparingly. Theoretical relevance and implications for climate change risk communication with key audiences are discussed.

Highlights

A key challenge faced by humankind is climate change and its manifestations
We first present the two categories of extended parallel process model (EPPM), followed by an overview related to the construal level theory (CLT) dimensions; specific examples from the policy report are offered for both EPPM and CLT
This study set out to investigate the effectiveness of climate change risk communication

Summary

Introduction

A key challenge faced by humankind is climate change and its manifestations. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [1], the ways in which societal and environmental systems can mitigate and adapt to climate change will directly influence the magnitude of impacts. There is a strong need for both climate change mitigation to slow these impacts, and adaptation to changes already slated regardless of future mitigation to minimize detrimental and direct consequences for human survival [2,3]. Communicating about these issues is challenging, and effective climate communication depends on how the message is designed, and how it resonates with the intended audience. In this contribution, we study the effectiveness of climate change risk communication to stimulate recipients’ awareness and behavioral change

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