Communicating climate change
After many years of ignoring the issue, most individuals and some corporations and governments have woken up to the issue of climate change. Indeed the UK’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says that “Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge facing the world today.” (source: http://www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/climatechange/). Indeed, even George W. Bush says “…global warming is a serious problem”. Curious to see how this issue is being communicated to the average, interested UK citizen I have signed myself up to the Winter Season of discussion, training and action run by the Climate Outreach and Information Network, in conjunction with The Environment Council (see: www.coinet.org.uk/news/tecnews). This program is designed to communicate the basic facts around climate change, and also teach people how to engage with others and communicate to them the facts, the impact to the biosphere of an unchecked rise in global temperatures, and what actions we can all take in order to reduce our environmental impact. I will write more on the program as it progresses.