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Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation Dr. Cara Augustenborg Celsius Science Seminar Dublin City University March 5, 2015 @CAugustenborg @ClimateReality

Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

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Page 1: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Dr. Cara Augustenborg

Celsius Science Seminar

Dublin City University

March 5, 2015

@CAugustenborg@ClimateReality

Page 2: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

“We are powering a social revolution for climate action.”

Page 3: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Climate Leadership Corps Training, Istanbul, June 2013

Page 4: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

• Climate change: children’s challenge – Intergenerational Justice

- UNICEF (2013) unicef.org.uk/climatechange

• Schoolchildren as educators - Marchant (1996) J. of Biological

Education 30(4).

• Do Voters Affect or Elect Policies? – Lee et al. (2004) The

Quarterly Journal of Economics 119(3).

Why focus on the next generation?

Page 5: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Climate Reality school visits

2014 school visits:

• St. Tiernan’s Community School

• Holy Child Community School

• Blackrock College

• Holy Child Secondary School, Killiney

Age: 12-18 (avg. = 15)

Gender: 50:50 male-female

Total survey responses: 237

Page 6: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Survey • Knowledge

• Feelings

Climate Reality Talk

Survey• Knowledge

• Interest

• Feelings

Page 7: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Current understanding of climate change

Top five knowns:

• Changing temperature

• GHGs/Greenhouse effect

• Weather impacts

• Global warming

• Melting ice / ice caps

Previous climate change education? 76% yes

Current understanding:

• 24% “poor” / “below average”

• 50% “moderate”

• 26% “above average” / “strong”

N = 237

Page 8: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Feelings about climate change

Feeling “I feel this strongly”

Concerned 39%

Powerless 31%

Worried 30%

Alarmed 27%

Fascinated 27%

Inquisitive 27%

Disappointed 27%

N = 209

Page 9: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation
Page 10: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Manhattan, New YorkOctober 29, 2012

Favourite climate change topics after Climate Reality talk

1. Weather impacts

2. Changes in temperature

3. Eskimos / Arctic

4. Future impacts

5. SolutionsWorld map of yearly deviation from the long-

term global average surface temperature (1951-1980 base period), 1884-2013 (NASA)

Page 11: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Interest in climate change (after Climate Reality)

Want to learn more about:

• Solutions (incl. renewable energy, personal action)

• Weather impacts

• Future projections

• Melting ice / ice caps

• Temperature change

Page 12: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Before-After Climate Reality comparison

Self-assessed understanding of climate change:

Pre-talk Post-talk

Above average / strong 26% 73%

Moderate 50% 21%

Poor / below average 24% 7%

N = 237

Page 13: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Before-After Climate Reality comparison

After hearing this talk are you interested… More Less Neither

In the topic of climate change 80% 2% 18%

In doing something to solve climate change

68% 3% 29%

N = 228

Page 14: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Before-After Climate Reality comparison

How feelings changed:

N = 210

Feeling More

Concerned 67%

Fascinated 59%

Alarmed 48%

Feeling Less

Confused 50%

Bored 38%

Helpless 31%

Page 15: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

• Are generally aware and concerned/worried/interested

• Interested in link between climate change and (extreme) weather

• Respond to animations/videos

• Like personal / human interest stories (e.g. Eskimos)

• Want to know about solutions

With respect to climate change, teenagers:

Page 16: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

• Confidence in understanding of climate change

• Interest in climate change

• Likelihood of climate action

• Concern about climate change

• Empowerment

Just one hour of climate education can potentially increase:

Page 17: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

• Education vs. Entertainment

•Objective vs. Inspiring

• Impacts vs. Solutions

•Concern vs. Empowerment

Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Find the Balance

@CAugustenborg@ClimateReality

Page 18: Climate Reality: Communicating climate change to the next generation

Climate Gathering: Climate Conversations 2015 Launch EventGeorge Marshall, David Begg, Claire O’Connor, Oisin Coghlan, Terry Prone

March 18, 7pm, Liberty Hall Dublin www.Eventbrite.ie