Strategic Climate Change Communications: Effective Approaches to Fighting Climate Denial (Climate Change and Society)

For over 30 years the science on climate change has been clear: it is happening, we humans caused it, and it puts all our futures at risk. Global warming can still be reversed, or at least the worst prevented, if we act in time. However, despite valiant efforts by scientists, activists and science reporters, little meaningful change has occurred. This is largely the result of well-funded professional strategic communication efforts by vested interests. They have been highly successful in achieving their central goal: protecting the profitable status quo by creating gridlock to slow down meaningful action on climate change.

Strategic Climate Science Communications: Effective Approaches to Fighting Climate Denial analyzes some of the communication strategies employed by deniers and the psychological mechanisms behind how they work. Several experts offer specific counter-strategies to change the conversation and foster meaningful societal change on global warming. The book helps environmental journalists to build up resistance against being manipulated by highly effective public relations techniques often successfully used against them. It can also help scientists and activists to become more effective communicators. An effective strategy is best countered by even better strategy.

The editor Dr. Jasper Fessmann is a professor of strategic communications and a 15-year public relations agency veteran. His work focuses on public interest communications - using strategic communications to improve the human condition. He is joined by leading thinkers, both academics and practitioners, on strategic climate change communications: Cynthia Barnett, Dr. John Cook, Dr. Nicole Dahmen, Nancy LaPlaca, Dr. David L. Morris II, Ishana Ratan, Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright, Dr. Kim Sheehan.