Abstract
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) adopts a solution-oriented approach to communicating climate change, but does not advocate any specific mitigation or adaptation options. While this helps to maintain a neutral stance in relation to policy advocacy, this approach may also create reluctance amongst IPCC scientists to communicate affective information about climate change, which could help to facilitate behavioural and societal transitions to manage climate risks. Research from the social sciences demonstrates that communications can influence cognitive, affective, and behavioural engagement with climate change. Specifically, there is ample evidence that people’s sense of ‘efficacy’ — beliefs about personal or collective capacity to respond, and effectiveness of responses — must be appealed to sufficiently alongside communication about the threats posed by climate change, to help facilitate mitigation and adaptation responses. This essay draws on a range of research findings to argue that the IPCC’s scientists and communications personnel can nurture efficacy beliefs about climate change, without compromising on values of policy neutrality, or undermining public trust. Specifically, the essay draws on communications strategies related to vicarious learning, mastery experiences, highlighting success stories, and use of language and imagery, which have been shown to increase efficacy. The essay has implications for how IPCC scientists and the organisation as a whole engages with a range of audiences, and suggestions also have relevance for other communicators of climate change, such as governments, academics, journalists, health professionals, community leaders, and creative practitioners.
Highlights
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a globally significant voice on climate change
While not all research has found that impact imagery reduces self-efficacy beliefs (e.g. Hart and Feldman (2016a), this research base clearly suggests that IPCC communications could increase efficacy by making greater use of imagery depicting solutions and people taking actions
IPCC scientists could work with different stakeholders to deliver climate education, design and co-facilitate skills training in mitigation and adaptation, highlight opportunities for individuals to engage in adaptive actions, and encourage individuals to reflect on their past successes in relevant domains
Summary
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a globally significant voice on climate change. Despite vast quantities of information communicated about climate change, government and societal responses do not yet address climate risks sufficiently. The second related issue concerns the hesitancy of IPCC scientists to communicate affective and motivational information about climate responses, even though this could help to bolster societal responses. Responding to these issues, this essay sets out the basis for an approach to communicating climate change that places sufficient emphasis on addressing efficacy — that is, people’s perceptions about their ability to take actions as individuals and groups, and the perceived effectiveness of responses. Some suggestions may be useful for members of the public engaging with family, friends, and peers about climate change
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