Improving climate coverage for trust and understanding
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, impacting communities and ecosystems worldwide. Yet, when it comes to climate coverage in the media, there’s a growing sense of frustration and despair among audiences. According to a joint program of the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, 74% of American adults surveyed believe global warming is happening and about two-thirds of Americans (66%) say they are at least “somewhat worried” about global warming. (This includes 30% of Americans who say they are “very worried.”) Despite believing it is happening and being worried about it, only 34% of those surveyed said they discuss the issue “occasionally” or “often,” yet a majority (62%) said they feel a personal sense of responsibility to help reduce global warming. As I have read this research and others like it, I find myself surprised by what I hear but also represented by the opinions. The research shows Americans have rather infrequent conversations about the problem with family and friends. I found this very relatable. I talk about it a lot, but it is not something most of my friends or family bring up (the exception being the few I talk about this with all the time because we are extremely worried about it). If a conversation I am having is about the changing climate or saving natural resources, I am normally the one sharing an idea, a tip or a news story I saw or heard. What was even more relatable for me though was another point in the research: Most people are climate-concerned but reluctant to talk about it because they don’t want to cause conflict. Wow, I thought, this is also me! Even though my friends and family hear me talk about it a lot, I still stop myself from talking about it even more because I do not want it to lead to a conflict or compromise the current relationships I have with them.
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