Date and Time
In this talk, I will explore dimensions of my book 'Creative (Climate) Communications: Productive Pathways for Science, Policy and Society' that was published last Fall. In the book, I posit that conversations about climate change at the science-policy interface and in our lives have remained stuck. The book integrates lessons from social science and humanities research and practices that have sought to more effectively make connections through issues, people and things that everyday citizens care about. Through this work I seek to improve understanding that there is no ‘silver bullet’ to communications about climate change. Instead, a ‘silver buckshot’ approach is needed, where ‘smartened up’ strategies effectively reach different audiences in different contexts. This tact can then significantly improve efforts that seek meaningful, substantive and sustained responses to contemporary climate challenges. These also more effectively re-capture what may be seen to be a ‘missing middle ground’ or common ground on climate change in the public arena. This book helps consider how to harness creativity to better understand what works where, when, why and under what conditions in a 21st century communications environment. This work can, in turn, improve science, policy and society interactions.