Overview

Create a new “bridging institution” to actively seek out key business, religious, political, and civic leaders and the media and deliver to them independent, reliable and credible scientific information about climate change (including natural and economic sciences).

Recent posts | Participants | YPCC News & Events | Mandate | Objectives | Related Initiatives

YPCC News & Events

40 experts gathered from around the country on Nov 9, 2006 to discuss how to convey the most important findings of climate change science to the public. Read Bill Blakemore’s article about the YPCC convened meeting on the ABC News website.

List of Participants:

Daniel Abbasi, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Heidi Arthur, The Ad Council
James Baker, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO
Frances Beinecke, Natural Resources Defense Council
Bill Blakemore, ABC News
David Blockstein, National Council for Science & the Environment
Anthony Broccoli, Rutgers University
James Buizer, University of Arizona
William Chameides, Environmental Defense
Marian Chertow, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Joel Cohen, University of Florida
Roger Cohn, Mother Jones
Robert Corel, American Meteorological Society
Heidi Cullen, The Weather Channel
Erica Dawson, Yale School of Management
David Downie, Columbia University
John Ehrmann, Meridian Institute
Daniel Esty, Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy
Jesse Fink, Marshall Street Management
Baruch Fischhoff, Carnegie Mellon University
Peter Frumhoff, Union of Concerned Scientists
Christopher Galvin, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Susan Hassol, Independent Climate Science Communicator
Martin Kaplan, V.Kann Rasmussen Foundation
Stephen Kellert, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Jon Krosnick, Stanford University
Eugene Linden, Writer
Jane Lubchenco, Oregon State University
Arthur Lupia, University of Michigan
Katie Mandes, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Michael Oppenheimer, Princeton University
Stephen Pacala, Princeton University
Mark Pagani, Yale University
Richard Petty, Ohio State University
Jonathan Rose, Rose Companies
William Schlesinger, Duke University
Richard Somerville, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
Gus Speth, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Vaughan Turekian, American Association for the Advancement of Science
George Woodwell, Woods Hole Research Center
Nancy Youman, Open Society Institute

Presentations & Papers:

A Bridging Institution - Concept, Jane Lubchenco, Oregon State, ppt

How Wide is the Science - Action Gap? Steve Pacala, Princeton, ppt

Bridging the Gap: Climate, Science & Action, Arthur Lupia, University of Michigan, ppt

Intensity spikes in concern on global warming, Jon Krosnick, Stanford, pdf

The origins and consequences of democratic citizens policy agenda, Jon Krosnick, Stanford, pdf

Mandate

  • Educate institutional leaders and the general public about the basics of climate change and methods by which consensus has arisen.
  • Disseminate new findings much more quickly than is possible through peer-reviewed journals.
  • Conduct rapid response to invalidate myths or other disinformation.
  • Clarify the climate change dimension of topical events (e.g., Hurricane Katrina).
  • Serve as a support network for other scientists not necessarily associated with the institution who speak out on climate change.
  • Conduct surveys of scientists on climate change issues.
  • Produce consensus statements.
  • Develop an information dissemination plan using the most effective communication vehicles, including websites, press releases, news feeds, weather channel information, etc.
  • Encourage media outreach by scientists and the capacitybuilding required to succeed, including training scientists to speak in language that is understandable to different audiences. In particular, provide media and communications training, (e.g., by building on the success of such programs as the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program).

Objectives

  • Trusted voice. This institution would serve as an independent, forceful, trusted voice that articulates the science of climate change. Its team would attempt to remain entirely separate from vested interests or advocacy groups engaged in the climate change arena. It would similarly seek to avoid the perception that it is an advocacy group itself, despite inevitable efforts to portray it as such. It would do this by strictly guarding its objectivity and communicating only the most unimpeachable, peer-reviewed science.
  • Top scientists. Top scientists would commit in the founding phase to seek audiences in an organized way through this new institution.
  • Proactive. The group would be highly proactive and take its “show” on the road: to editorial boards, managing editors, congressional staffers and members, governors, CEOs, mayors, university presidents, CEOs of media organizations, network anchors, columnists, and TV producers. It would take a retail, not wholesale, approach to the task and orchestrate a series of personal, often local, connections.
  • Responsive. In addition to its proactive work, this institution would be available to respond to incoming inquiries on climate change science from the public, the media and all organizations with an interest in independent information to assist them in
    understanding or addressing climate change. As such, it would serve as a one-stop shop. Given the potentially large volume of inquiries, special attention would be given to avoiding bottlenecks and maximizing response time, including an efficient information architecture, online and phone access, searchable databases, multi-media resources, outstanding cross-referenced expert guides and other elements.
  • Models. Several existing institutions have been cited as either models (e.g., COMPASS) or potential homes (e.g., AAAS) to which a sub-unit tasked with this mandate could be appended. COMPASS stands for Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea, and was launched in October 1999 to “increase the use of scientific information in marine conservation policy and practice by making academic science less fragmented, and more applicable, available, and understandable to a wide audience.” AAAS stands for the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world by serving as an educator, leader and professional association. It publishes the prestigious journal Science.
  • Anticipating the task. The institution would help scientists anticipate the communications/outreach task earlier in the process of framing their research questions, not as an add-on.
  • Dominated by scientists. The institution would be dominated by scientists, but would draw in and leverage talents from other Domains. It would enlist other credible, non-scientific opinion leaders, business leaders, and other respected individuals to
    communicate climate science.
  • Continuously updated. Details of the content of what the Institution would communicate would be continuously updated as new findings arose. However, there would be some important standard elements:
    • Discipline in repeating core elements of the scientific consensus on climate change. _ Pointing out the limits of emergent knowledge (e.g., combating simplistic thinking about sequestration as a cure-all for greenhouse gas emissions).
    • Exploring and designing metaphors for communicating about the global environment (e.g., a global park).
    • Shifting the burden of proof so that public expectations of certainty would be conditioned over time to give way to a risk management paradigm. Some have urged that we should go further, beyond the risk management paradigm, which raises its own contentious problems of balancing hard-to-quantify risks and benefits, and toward a precautionary paradigm, which was a crucial underpinning of eventual action on phasing out CFCs that deplete the ozone layer and would be better suited to motivating significant action on climate change.
  • Strategic dialogues. The institution would invest in strategic dialogues to acquire a better understanding of why or why not key leaders in different segments of the public embrace climate change as a major issue, and what kinds of scientific information on climate change each would want or need.
  • Reframe the focus. Based on these audience and constituency understandings, the institution would reframe the focus of climate change communications or the tactical language used. It would pre-test specific word choices to assess how audiences hear
    them, and be especially careful to anticipate colloquial interpretation of scientific terms.
  • New communication tools. It would develop new communication tools to disseminate information about local impacts and other climate change information to the general public (e.g., a webpage for impacts with a map/zip code function so that the general public could easily access information on how climate change could affect them).
  • Climate Index. The institution could create a Climate Index that integrates various indicators of climate change into an understandable form (e.g., temperature rise, heat stress, intense precipitation events, sea level). Enlist scientific expertise to make it credible, but also especially amenable to localization to the extent that the indicators permit.
  • Overcome reticence. The institution would also be charged with seeking to address, and overcome, the factors that induce scientists’ reticence in communicating, by modeling more
    outspokenness, but also influencing leaders of scientific, governmental and university institutions to change norms, internal culture, and incentives.
  • Harness existing NGO mechanisms. Existing NGOs should not be underestimated as highly leveraged points for disseminating climate change science, especially given that so few NGOs currently have resident scientific expertise. Scientists could individually approach NGOs to serve on committees or boards, in ways that are consistent with their objectivity, but also harness existing relationships and communications mechanisms the NGOs have built. The new institution should be kept entirely independent of advocacy or non-scientific organizations, although the latter could be users of its output.
  • Mentoring. The institution would organize mentoring efforts by which senior scientists who have successfully navigated the communication of cutting-edge science could help younger scientists do so more effectively.
  • Obligating outreach. Help promote scientists’ readiness to talk to the media by making outreach obligatory among those receiving grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the National Academy of Sciences and other institutions.
  • Support training. Support institutional capacity for media and outreach training. The institution should provide training and augment the capacity of other institutions to provide this, specifically in relation to climate change. The institution should provide a menu of options for its own training, such as two-to three day programs or two-week summer programs. These programs should be led by the giants in the field. The institution should also reach out to the AAAS about its media training sessions that few attend and those at other universities (e.g., fellowships and courses at Scripps Institute,Woods Hole, Lamont
    Doherty, MIT, Stanford). How can these be expanded and how can others be recruited to attend?
  • Content of media training. Media training courses for scientists should include how to testify, how to write Op-Eds, how to anticipate how words will be reported (e.g., relative emphasis on certainties and uncertainties), how to cover different aspects of science, and how journalists work.
    • Heroes. In particular, help journalists identify stories that connect science to culture (e.g., scientific heroes doing work on climate change).
    • Training. Provide training, above all, for scientists to talk in a comprehensible way. Journalists are not inclined to train scientists or coax clear language out of them, but to take their subject as they find it. So the burden is on the scientists, or others who want scientists to succeed, to communicate more effectively. Help identify words that scientists can use to portray the climate change issue in a more compelling fashion to journalists and the general public (e.g., climate disruption instead of climate change). Moreover, scientists must be trained not just to get facts out, but how to introduce and sustain them in the face of a
      polemical response. Make sure this is covered in media training, especially given the rise in contentious media formats that value debate above all else.
    • Personalize the story.Highlight the personal dimension of the climate change story, even at the highest levels of power (e.g., how the relationship between President George W. Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on the climate change issue has taken on added interest
      following their Iraq War alliance).
    • Narrative Drive.Identify the “gee whiz” mysteries in climate change to provoke audience interest and engagement. This could exacerbate the problem of highlighting uncertainties more than the large zone of scientific consensus. But if handled well – as it was in the TV series Strange Days on Planet Earth, for example – it can also draw the audience into a more active stance on the issue.
  • University experts lists. Leverage existing assets like university “experts lists.” Do they all have climate change represented fully? Are all relevant scientists cross-referenced on all climate-related topics, including extreme weather events, droughts and other topical impact stories?

First step toward establishing the institution.

Convene a workshop of possible funders, scientists, and other key players and users to benchmark existing institutions with a similar mandate and to develop a blueprint of what the new institution (or a new unit of an existing institution, like the American Association for the Advancement of Science or The Science Media Centre in London) might look like.

Related Initiatives

ABC News website

The ABC News website has in-depth coverage of climate change. Stories are rigorously researched, and facts and issues are clearly presented. The website includes prominent links to Union of Concerned Scientists, IPCC, RealClimate, and NRDC. There are notably few links to federal government sites.

Aldo Leopold Leadership Program

The Aldo Leopold Leadership Program trains environmental scientists to communicate their work effectively to a variety of non-scientific audiences. Each year up to 20 academic environmental scientists are selected to receive intensive experiential training, expert consultation, and peer networking. Leopold Leadership Fellow hone skills to better communicate the science associated with complex environmental issues to the media, policy makers, business leaders and other non-scientists. Participation is by application.

All Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group

U.K. group of over 100 Members of Parliament from the three main political parties along with businesses from all major sectors.

“The Group’s aim is to deliver material and meaningful progress on climate change by creating an arena in which interested and relevant parties are able to discuss and formulate policy options and encourage the application of those that offer greatest promise.”

Alliance for Climate Protection

The Alliance for Climate Protection’s goals are as follows: motivate a critical mass of the public and influential constituencies to demand strong and just action to cut U.S. emissions and to make solving global warming a national political imperative; implement solutions to global warming that cap and cut U.S. global warming pollution emissions in the near term, setting a framework and trajectory to reduce emissions by more than half by mid-century; develop a political consensus for further international agreements that includes full participation by developing economies in achieving emissions reduction targets.

American Association for the Advancement of Science

The AAAS is the most prominent, and probably the largest, general science non-profit organization in the US. It publishes Science, the world’s leading scholarly scientific journal. Membership is open to all. Its core functions are to promote and provide information on science to the government and to the general public; to promote and improve science education at all levels; and to promote science in all relevant employment sectors.

Relevant activities:

  • Center for Science, Technology, and Congress: Locus of the AAAS’ policy activities; Provides timely, objective information to Congress on current science and technology issues and assists the science and engineering community in understanding and working with Congress. The Center conducts briefings for congressional staff and develops issue briefs that summarize current S&T policy issues. It performs these functions through briefings, workshops, conferences, publications, public statements and letters.
  • Mass Media Fellows: Program of 10-week summer fellowships in mass media organizations worldwide. For science students from college senior through one year post-Ph.D. only. Awarded to 20-25 individuals annually.
  • Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law Program: The Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law Program focuses on the ethical, legal, and social issues associated with the conduct of research and with advances in science and technology. The Program is more concerned wtih ethics of scientists, in areas such as human and animal subjects, genetics research, and public access to data, than with the kind of externally-imposed impingements on scientific integrity that have been connected with climate science. Its relevance to the bridging institution is its involvement with scientific freedom issues, namely, monitoring developments, speaking out when appropriate, and providing internal support on this issue to other AAAS bodies.
  • Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion: Facilitates communication between scientific and religious communities. The program builds on AAAS’s long-standing commitment to relate scientific knowledge and technological development to the purposes and concerns of society at large. It promotes multidisciplinary education and scholarship of the ethical and religious implications of advancements in science and technology. It performs these functions through seminars, conferences, and publications.
  • Atlas of Scientific Literacy: A collection of 49 conceptual strand maps that show how students’ understanding of the ideas and skills that lead to literacy in science, mathematics, and technology might grow over time. The maps are accompanied by summaries of relevant cognitive research. This is part of Project 2061, the AAAS’ extensive, long-term science literacy initiative.
  • Science education: An extensive and diverse suite of programs, both offline and online, addressing all levels from kindergarten through Ph.D., and targeting students, educators, administrators, policymakers, community leaders in sectors other than education, parents of K-12 students, and specific minority groups. Although formal education is not within the bridging institution’s mandate, it should be pointed out that it forms a large and prominent part of the AAAS’ activities.
  • EurekAlert:Online, global source news service operated by AAAS. It provides a central place through which universities, medical centers, journals, government agencies, corporations and other organizations engaged in research can bring their news to the media. It also offers its news and resources to the public. It features news and resources focused on all areas of science, medicine and technology.It is chiefly devoted to newly published primary research, that is, most items are press releases about recent, individual journal articles or scientific meetings. This site does not contain: ‘articles’ or ‘reporting’ as such, news events, science policy developments, public science issues, syntheses or reviews of topics. It emphasizes the traditional ‘bench’-oriented disciplines such as biology, chemistry, atmospheric and ocean science.
  • Science and Human Rights Program: This program is specifically dedicated to human rights violations as defined by international law and its activities lie almost entirely outside the US.
  • Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology:The Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology is providing a venue for multi-directional dialogue on many topics, including climate change. Since 2004 the Center launched a series of ongoing activities intended to boost public awareness and understanding of the nature of science and the work of scientists, while at the same time increasing public input into scientific research and policy agenadas by creating a vehicle for real dialogue among policymakers, the general public and the scientific community. Activities have included town hall meetings, free “family science days,” a “glocal” strategy to promote local public engagement regarding global science-related issues, by working with local opinion leaders, policy-makers, school board members, clergy, and the news media, the Science Insights and News Service to help increase the volume of scientific leadership through news opportunities such as op-ed placements, the AAAS Science Talk Experts and Speakers service and more.
  • Science Update: A daily 60-second radio program. Since it is accompanied by 60 seconds of advertising, it is not broadcast on public radio .

American Geophysical Union

A scholarly organization with membership open to all in the field. Other science media offerings besides the document below include surveys of public attitudes on global warming and other geophysical issues, and awards for science journalism. The Union has also produced “You and the Media: A researcher’s guide for dealing successfully with the news media”, a 39-page guide for scientists.

American Institute of Biological Sciences

A scholarly scientific organization that advances its mission through the following: coalition activities in research, education, and public policy; publishing the peer-reviewed journal BioScience and the education website ActionBioscience.org; providing scientific peer review and advisory services to government agencies and other clients; convening meetings; and managing scientific programs.

American Institute of Physics: The American Institute of Physics’ missions is to serve physics, astronomy, and related fields of science and technology by serving its member societies and their associates, individiual scientists, educators, R&D leaders, and the general public with programs, services and publications. No outreach or media initiatives are evident on the website apart from K-12 and postsecondary education.

American Meteorological Society: Promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmostpheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. The organization publishes approximately nine journals, conducts briefings on Capitol Hill and engages with broadcast and consulting meteorologists—through certification programs, among others. It has policy and K-12 education programs.

  • Architecture 2030: A small think-tank promoting energy efficient buildings. Target constituencies include architects and architecture schools, professional building associations and policymakers. The website has a reasonably good summary of the impacts and solutions.

    : A small think-tank promoting energy efficient buildings. Target constituencies include architects and architecture schools, professional building associations and policymakers. The website has a reasonably good summary of the impacts and solutions.: A small think-tank promoting energy efficient buildings. Target constituencies include architects and architecture schools, professional building associations and policymakers. The website has a reasonably good summary of the impacts and solutions.

BBC

The BBC website has remarkably sophisticated science pages with unflinching coverage of controversial topics, including not only climate change but others such as animal testing and cannabis. The BBC produced and broadcasted a series of programs about cliamte change and its effects in May/June 2006, entitled Climate Chaos and hosted by Sir David Attenborough.

British Council – Zero Carbon City

Worldwide climate change outreach program including Science Cafes (informal public dialogues in bars and cafes) and exhibits in over 100 cities. The British Council is a quasi-governmental agency that promotes British culture worldwide.

Ceres

Facilitator of environmental dialogue and action in the for-profit sector with participation from the non-profit sector. Climate change is a central topic but not the only one. Corporations join Ceres as members, while non-profit organizations can become involved by joining the Ceres ‘coalition’. Its chief activities are largely offline. This, and an emphasis on large corporations, distinguish Ceres from, for example, ClimateBiz.

Clean Air Cool PlanetCreates partnerships in the Northeast to implement solutions to cliamte change and build constituencies for effective climate policies and actions. The organization is dedicated to finding and promoting solutions to global warming, and partners with companies, campuses, communities and science centers throughout the Northeast to help reduce their carbon emissions. It engages in numerous college campus activities such as action networks, clean campus power, and fostering Energy-STAR compliant dormitories. Another suit of activities engages Science Centers, such as science museums, on climate change.ClimateArk

Run by the Ecological Network, has individually edited, annotated, and helpfully categorized links to roughly 1600 climate change websites. It is a preeminent source of climate change links. It also includes Climate Change News, blog, and Forum. This site is evidence that quality content is not always marked by slick design.

Climate Change Communication Initiative

The only online source entirely devoted to climate change communication. The Initiative considers climate change discourses, frames, narratives, attitudes, and how they can best be engaged to lead to action. The initiative is led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Carbon Trust, the Energy Saving Trust, the UK Climate Impacts Program, the Department for Transport and the Department of Trade and Industry.

ClimateClinic: ClimateClinic is organized by the UK’s leading green organizations and supported by businesses and the Energy Saving Trust. The objective is for party leaders, ministers, renowned scientists, opinion formers, environmentalists, low-carbon associations, business leaders and the public to come together to debate the issues, spotlight the solutions and press for urgent action and vigorous political leadership. Climate Clinics took place as fringe events at each of the main party political conferences in the UK this year (2006). The Clinics called on politicians of all parties to support urgent government action to avert crisis by preventing global temperatures rising more than two degrees above pre-industrial levels.

The Climate Consortium

“The Climate Consortium” functions as an audio-vido portal for news on the emerging science of climate change and its implications for both civil society and public policy. It is also seeking to promote a public outreach initiative to build citizen-scientist collaborations on climate.

Climate Future Group

The Group’s mission is to be the leading information source for complete, unbiased, nonpartisan, accurate and factual information on climate change caused by manmade greenhouse gas emissions. The website is intended for individuals, businesses, the news media and national leaders around the world. An intitiative being planned by the Group in the Climate News Room, which will gather and disseminate global Climate Change News, provide original reporting in both video and text forms, feed live interviews and provide coverage of global events, free of charge in a password-protected area for print and broadcast journalists.

ClimatePrediction.net:

The largest experiment to try and produce a forecast of the climate in the 21st century, which harnesses the processing power of desktop computers around the world. The main ClimatePrediction.net experiment was launched in conjunction with the BBC’s climate change season in February 2006. This current experiment will simulate 1920-2080. ClimatePrediction is a collaborative project of the University of Oxford, the Hadley Center for Climate Prediction and others.

Climate Science Watch

A nonprofit public interest education and advocacy project dedicated to holding public officials accountable for the integrity and effectiveness with which they use cliamte science and related research in government policymaking, toward the goal of enabling society to respond effectively to the challenges posed by global warming and climate change. It acts as a watchdog, tracking cases of government interference in climate science. The organization is an offshoot of the Government Accountability Project, a 28-year-old nonprofit public interest group.

ClimateWire

A multi-sectoral international news service specifically focusing on the issue of climate change. Updated daily, ClimateWire sources and brings together news items from around the world. Relevant stories can be viewed by region, topic, or time period. Press releases and news from research organizations, the public sector, and environmental organizations are also included. ClimateWire is concerned with business and government policy, corporate responsibility and environmental activism, local agenda and international development. The sources are distinctly more international than is usual and come from locations such as Russia, Japan and India.

COMPASS

see SeaWeb

David Suzuki Foundation

Primarily a think-tank and grassroots organization. It is not solely a Canadian organization as it is registered in both there and in the United States. With a goal of achieving sustainability within a generation, the Foundation collaborates with scientists, business and industry, academia, government and non-governmental organizations. Especially relevant to the Bridging Institution’s scientist network mandate is a letter the foundation sponsored to the Canadian Prime Minister on climate change, signed by 90 climate scientists.

DeSmogBlog

DeSmogBlog is a website for debunking contrarians, created by the president of one of Canada’s largest PR firms. It defines its mission as “Clearing the PR pollution that clouds climate science.” It aims to address disinformation in the media.

Environmental Defense

A major national environmental organization. In addition to publishing reports on program activities, Environmental Defense produces print and email newsletters, fact sheets and educational materials on “green” behavior and business practices that can help sustain and improve our environment. It has also developed a number of websites relating to program areas. Current climate change campaigns include “Undo It”, a petition to get the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act passed. Past climate change initiatives included the Partnership for Climate Action, a multilateral project involving several businesses and lasting from the mid-late 90s until 2000.

  • “Fight Global Warming”. This campaign features TV and radio advertisements produced by Environmental Defense and the Ad Council, with funding from the Robertson Foundation. It seeks to educate Americans about how quickly we must act, giving concrete steps that people can incorporate into their lives to fight global warming.

Fame LabA national competition to discover the new public faces of UK science. It is a national competition for the most compelling and charismatic delivery of a science message of the entrant’s choice. The prize includes an events tour and a chance to work with Channel 4 science programming. It is an intiative of the Cheltenham Science Festival and is supported by Channel 4, the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts, Pfizer, and Research Councils UK.Focus the Nation

A major educational initiative that is coordinating teams of faculty, students and staff at over a thousand colleges, universities and high schools in the United States, to collaboratively engage in a nationwide, interdisciplinary discussion centered around the theme of “Stabilizing the Climate in the 21st Century.” The project will culminate on January 31, 2008, in the form of one-day, national symposia help simultaneously on campuses across the country.

Frameworks Institute

The Institute’s missions is to advance the nonprofit sector’s communications capacity by identifying, translating and modeling relevant scholarly research for framing the public discourse about social problems. The Institute’s research on global warming, known as the Climate Message Project, includes in-depth conversations with environmental orgnaizations, detailed cognitive interviews with the public, a review and analysis of existing survey research, a conceptual metaphor analysis, a new national public opinion poll, content analysis of news, media effects tests, and talkback testing. The result of the research is a toolkit, a fully narrated presentation on CD-Ron, additional application materials, workshops, and complete research reports.

Futerra

Based in the UK, this organization seeks innovative, creative and strategic ways to promote sustainable development. The various types of training they provide, include master classes on cliamte change communications, workshops and stakeholder dialogues. They also offer media and campaigns management, research and produce short films and publications. They work with a range of clients, primarily in the UK, including FTSE 100 companies, small local businesses, national government departments, schools, the UN, filmmakers, accoutnants and charities.

Global Roundtable on Climate Change

The Roundtable, convened by The Earth Institute at Columbia, is a twice-yearly conference of 150 high-level strakeholders, including senior executives from the private sector and leaders of international governmental and non-governmental organizations. The roundtable will meet for three years. The objective is to discuss and explore areas of potential consensus regarding core scientific, technological, and economic issues critical to shaping sound public policies on climate change. Conference presentations can be downloaded from its website in print, video, and Powerpoint formats.

Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment

Housed at the Harvard Medical School, this center connects academic science to the policy and general public spheres, in addition to serving as an academic research and training center in the traditional sense. Core activities include the Center’s course (open to the public as well as students from Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, and other university students in the Boston area), an online publication, policy-maker education programs, media outreach, secondary education, general public programs and two special projects: Sustaining Life: How Health Depends on Biodiversity and Climate Change Futures. The Center presented the first-ever Capitol Hill briefing on scientific method (rather than a specific topic) in January 2006.

The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment

A nonprofit, nonpartisan institution dedicated to improving the scientific and economic foundation for environmental policy through multi-sectoral collaboration. Focusing on issues that are likely to confront policymakers within two to five years, the Center creates and fosters collaboration among industry, environmental organizations, academia, and government in each of its program areas and projects. Programs include: environmental reporting; global change; sustainable oceans, coasts and waterways. The broad goal of the Global Change program is to continue analysis of policy responses to global environmental changes, both in terms of mitigating change and in terms of preparing for change. The Heinz Center presents a mix of objective science and opportunity for multi-sectoral consensus building. The program encompasses global environmental change, including both climate change and land-use/ biodiverstiy change.

ICLEI – Cities for Climate Protection Campaign

An international association of local governments and national and regional local government organizations that have made a commitment to sustainable development. The organization provide technical consulting, traning, and information services to build capacity, share knowledge, and support local government in the implementation of sustainable development at the local level.

  • Cities for Climate Protection: This campaign enlists cities to adopt policies and implement measures to achieve quantifiable reductions in local greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and enhance urban livability and sustainability. More than 650 local governments participate in the CCP, integrating climate change mitigation into their decision-making processes. ICLEI provides local governments that participate in the CCP Campaign with access to the following resources:
    • Software products and associated training to assist with the quantification of greenhouse gas reductions and other benefits of climate protection planning.
    • Access to a professional network of peers through listservs, newsletters, conferences, and workshops.
    • Toolkits, online resources, case studies, fact sheets, policy and practice manuals, and guides on approaches that other local governments have successfully used to reduce greenhouse gases.
    • Training workshops for staff and elected officials on how to develop and implement effective long-term emission reduction strategies.
    • Technical assistance in designing and implementing actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
    • Notification of relevant grant opportunities.
    • Assistance in publicizing local climate protection successes.”

IGLO – International Action on Global Warming

An initiative of the Association of Science and Technology Centers, a coalition of science museums and science centers around the world. IGLO’s goal is to raise public understanding of science. IGLO’s goal is to raise worldwide public awareness about global warming and the particular ways that the Polar Regions profoundly influence the Earth’s climate, environments, ecosystems, and human society. IGLO will create materials that communicate science to large audiences, including a toolkit that science centers and museums can use for International Polar Year (IPY) activities. IGLO will suggest student activities, create web site activities with the International Polar Foundation, propose guidelines for science days, develop a worldwide experiment working in conjunction with NASA and/or NOAA as well ass provide scientific documents for reference material.

Investor Network on Climate Risk:

Specifically for investors.

Info-Pollution

A guide to sources, techniques and examples of disinformation on cliamte change as well as other major environmental issues. It includes analysis of rhetorical methods and disinformation tactics.

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO

Activities include determining the role of the oceans in cliamte change and the associated effects of climate change, to the purpose of ameliorating its impacts to society and the environment. The Ocean Observations Panel for Cliamte, one of the many activities of the IOC, is currently working on a web tool for evaluation and communication of the ocean observing system for climate, which provides an overview of the current state of the ocean.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Panel was established by World Meteoroligical Organization and the United Nations Environment Program to assess scientific, techincal and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. It is open to all members of the UN and the WMO. A main activity fo the IPCC is to provide in regular intervals an assessment of the state of knowledge on climate change. The IPCC also prepares Special Reports and Technical Papers on topics where independent scientific information and advice is deemed necessary. It supports the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change through its work on methodologies for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. The IPCC does not carry out research nor does it monitor cliamte related data or other relevant parameters. It bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific/technical literature. The Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC will be completed in 2007.

Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

This organization conducts environmental outreach wihtin the context of the entertainment sector. It is exclusively devoted to environmental conservation, and places particular emphasis on the issues of global warming, alternative and renewable energy sources, and the preservation of the planet’s biodiversity. Its global warming and water conservation films are produced by the same firm that produced an ocean conservation film for the Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment, Tree Media.

Media Matters

A watchdog website that posts rapid responses to alleged disinformation in the media. Climate change coverage is largely restricted to TV and radio although print is covered in other subject areas.

Metcalf Institute

Promotes clear and accurate reporting of scientific news and environmental issues; to strengthen understanding and working relationships between members of the scientific community and members of the news media; and to provide opportunities for beginning journalists to learn, on both a formal and an informal level, how to improve their skills in marine and environmental reporting. The Institute provides fellowships each year for journalists in print, broadcast, and electronic media to learn about science and the research process, from interpreting marine and environmental issues to understanding the principles of scientific research.

The National Academies

The country’s premier honorary scientific organization and provider of scientific information to Congress and the nation. It has four divisions: The National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine.

  • National Academy of Sciences: This is an honorary society for recognizing distinguished scientists and membership is one of the highest honors the scientific community can bestow. Activities of the NAS include the Koshland Science Museum, which includes an online exhibit: Global Warming Facts and Our Future. For the most part, outreach, policy, and education activities are the mandate of other divisions of the National Academies besides the NAS. However, the NAS does on occasion mobilize its members to take action on particular issues, such as the teaching of creationism in public schools. This has included urging members to write their politicians and submit op-eds, along with official NAS public statements and letters to members of Congress.
  • National Research Council: The chief provider of science advising to the federal government. At the request of government agencies or Congress, the NRC’s all-volunteer study committees evaluate and compile primary science research and produce peer-reviewed written reports. These reports reflect the consensus of a committee appointed by the Academies to review research on a particular topic. The reports are freely available online but outreach and education are not within the NRC’s mandate, nor does it provide real-time information or respond to individual requests. It is not a membership organization.

National Association of Science Writers

Fosters the dissemination of accurate information regarding science and technology, through all media normall devoted to informing the public. Another objective is to foster the interpretation of science and its meaning to society, in keeping with the highest standards of journalism. The organization is dedicated to serving science writers and journalists, not scientists. Until August 2006, it had a highly relevant website called Communicating Science News - A Guide for Public Information Officers, Scientists and Physicians. As of August 2006, however, this link was not working.

National Council for Science and the Environment

A not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the scientific basis for environmental decision-making. The organization’s goals include the following: promote science for the environment; enhance programs at academic institutions, catalyze and advance science-based ideas from diverse communities, communicate science-based information to society; and develop science solutions for environmental challenges. It is also the home of the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors.

The Council mobilizes key communities, including Congress, government agencies, academia, civil society, business, media, and the public to support policies and programs that increase the role of science in achieving environmental goals. The Council informs these communities about the value of science as a basis for decisions that affect the environment. NCSE’s University Affiliate Program enhances environmental education, research, and outreach activities of over one hundred and thirty member institutions through workshops and collaborative opportunities. NCSE helps its Affiliates address such issues as building and maintaining successful environmental programs, interdisciplinary curricula and core competencies, student recruitment and careers, and faculty advancement.

EarthGauge: A program that provides free environmental news and tips to TV weather forecasters, in the form of short ‘factoids’ tailored to the forecast for that particular day and location. For example, when rain is forecast, the item might be a reminder to get your car tuned up because leaked fluid eventually reaches, and pollutes, the water supply.

  • ClimateBiz.com: A ‘one-stop’, comprehensive online resource for businesses, including small- and medium-size firms. Covers climate change science basics, rationale for business involvement, and guidance on actions to take. The best site of its kind; accessible without being superficial. ClimateBiz provides more ‘nuts and bolts’ for individuals at all levels in the for-profit sector. ClimateBiz is an online resource only.
  • GreenBiz: Analogous to ClimateBiz, but for green business topics generally.
  • EnviroCast: See Storm Center Communications, the organization now largely responsible for EnviroCast although it was launched by NEETF.
      • National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration - NOAAM/b>

      NOAA is a federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere. Roles include: being a supplier of environmental information products; a provider of environmental stewardship services; a leader in applied scientific research. NOAA also provides grants. Specific activities relating to climate change include the following:

    National Science Foundation

    An independent federal agency and the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America’s colleges and universities. While the NSF does not undertake science outreach and education of the kind envisioned for the bringing institution, it certainly awards grants in this area.

    National Wildlife Federation

    One of the premier wildlife conservation organizations in the United States. Activities relating to climate change include facilitating public documentation of changes in wildlife caused by global warming and promotion of energy conservation.

    • Target Global Warming: A grassroots campaign of the NWF with a sport hunting and fishing emphasis. The website includes a user-friendly map of the US which highlights cliamte change “Impacts in Your State.” Users can click on each state and download a pdf document which outlines the key impacts of global warming in that state.

    Natural Resources Defense Council

    A major national environmental advocacy organization active in the public and policy areas. Its policy work includes lawsuits and testimony. The website has abundant online resources on climate change science, issues, and action strike an effective balance between accessibility and rigor.

    • Keep Winter Cool: A partnership between NRDC and the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) to raise visibility and public understanding of global warming and spotlight existing opportunities to start fixing the problem. The campaign coordinates ski areas and promotes use of energy efficient technology and increasing the use of renewable energy in their operations - using wind energy and solar energy to power buildings and lifts, applying energy-efficient building technologies and saving energy by replacing inefficient equipment. The campaign also coordinates ski areas in working with lawmakers to pass safe limits on global warming pollution and support increased use of clean, renewable energy.

    New York Times Environment discussion Forum

    Organized by date only. As yet, no climate change specific Forum.

    Pacific Institute

    Think tank; relevance to the Bridging Institution is its modest scientific integrity program.

    Pew Center on Global Climate Change

    Brings together business leaders, policy makers, scientists, and other experts. The Center writes and distributes reports to opinion leaders worldwide. It holds briefings with members of Congress, key Executive Branch officials as well as international leaders. The Center has played an active role in bringing business leaders and policymakers together to discuss policy frameworks and workable solutions to climate change. The Center also actively engages in public outreach. Its climate science pages stand out as clear and concise.

    Program on International Policy Attitudes

    Studies and conducts polls of public opinion on international issues, including climate change. PIPA is a joint program of the Center of Policy Attitudes and the Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland.

    Real Climate

    A commentary site on cliamte science produced and written by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists. It aims to provide quick response to developing stories and provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream commentary. The discussions are restricted to scientific topics, rather than crossing over into the political or economic implications of the science. The coverage tends to be more ad-hoc than comprehensive or systematic. Real Climate does not attempt to address all egregarious incidents of scientific disinformation, as Climate Science Watch does for the federal government management of science or Media Matters aims to do for mainstream, especially tabloid, media. The emphasis here is on advanced, scholarly explications of disputed points, with occasional excursions into less formal topics.

    Science Media Centre London

    A press office for science; provides referrals on science issues for journalists. Also provides media training and support for scientists. The relevance of themes stressed in the online media training materials for scientists deserves careful examination. For example, the pamphlet “Uncertainty in a Soundbite” is about how scientists can clearly convey to non-scientists the ubiquity and importance of uncertainty in science. However, one of the challenges facing climate change scientists in the US today is the need to convince the public of their degree of agreement, not disagreement, so the social and cultural playing field of the SMC is presumably rather different from that in the US.

    SeaWeb

    A communications-based nonprofit organization that uses social marketing techniques to advance ocean conservation. Seaweb provides scientists, NGOs, policymakers, businesses and philanthropists with strategic communications skills that enable them to help create a global culture of ocean conservation. Major activities include a sustainable seafood trade association, multimedia campaigns, and promotion and support of Asia Pacific ocean conservation. See entry for COMPASS, as well as Sea Strategy Network below:

    • Sea Strategy Network Information tools and strategic services for the conservation community. Activities include: ocean science/conservation information and news source; radio show (ceased in 2000); SeaWeb Strategic Services (communications, public relations and media consulting and training [not clear whether these are restricted to ocean conservation]); ocean conservation photo and film bank; radio show.
    • COMPASS (Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea): Program for linking marine scientists, journalists, policymakers, and other decisionmakers. The vehicles employed include briefings, meetings, communications training, and written materials. Description of activities is as follows:
    • We communicate marine conservation science to the media by training scientists to be better communicators, and by working with journalists to keep them informed about cutting-edge science.
    • We inform policy and management decisions with the latest, credible marine conservation science by synthesizing and packaging the science to be understandable and useful, connecting relevant science and scientists with decision-makers, and working with decision-makers to understand their expectations of the scientific community.
    • We help advance marine conservation by working with academic scientists to frame their questions and provide information that is relevant and salient to policy-makers and public interests.

    Sierra Club

    One of America’s oldest and largest environmental organizations, with more than 750,000 members. Its mission is to:

    • 1. Explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth;
    • 2. Practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources;
    • 3. Educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and
    • 4. Use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.
    • Cool Cities: Sierra Club’s locally-focused climate change campaign. “Cool Cities” are defined as those that have made a commitment to stopping global warming by signing the Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. Each city has its own page on the website.
    • Future Sea Level: Over the next 100 years and beyond, global warming could raise ocean levels to damaging heights around the globe. FutureSeaLevel.org is a collaborative art project designed to raise awareness of smart solutions to global warming and the consequence to future generations if we don’t act now.

    Sigma Xi

    An honorary society with membership by invitation, dedicated to honoring excellence in scientific investigation and encouraging a sense of companionship and cooperation among researchers in all fields of science and engineering.

    • Science Cafes(Science Cafe), (Cafe Scientifique): Open discussions, occurring roughly once a month, in a bar or cafe, and hosted by one to three scientists. While about 20 US cities have them, there are at least 36 in the UK, where they seem to be long-established and thriving (and known as Café Scientifique). The intention is not to have a lecture or have the discussion framed by the scientist, or as stated at a UK Science Cafe website, “Café Scientifique is a Forum for debating science issues, not a shop window for science. We are committed to promoting public engagement with science and to making science accountable.” The Spin Project / Communication Leadership InstituteProvides affordable communications and strategy training to nonprofits.

      StopGlobalWarming.org

      A high profile climate change awareness campaign organized by activist Laurie David. The primary function is awareness-raising by means of a ‘virtual march,’ which is in essence an online petition. The site has a minimum of information on climate change science and issues. Material such as simple personal Action Items can only be viewed by registering with the campaign.

      Storm Center Communications

      A for-profit meteorology consulting and satellite imagery company.

      • EnviroCast: Provides timely environmental news/information along with satellite weather images and reports to weather departments at TV stations. The material is tied in to webpages about local watershed stewardship at each station’s website. The level of watershed science and conservation, and its integration with the weather content, is outstanding. Program was initiated by NEETF in partnership with the American Meteorological Society. Although EnviroCast does not currently incorporate climate change, it is worth noting as a locus for environmental science in broadcast meteorology.

      Tree Media Group

      A film, video and website production company. Has created accessible yet substantial short films on climate change and oceans featuring Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio. Currently producing five short climate change films for the Weather Channel. Web projects for various major environmental and voter organizations, NASA, PBS.

      UK Climate Impacts Program

      A publicly funded climate science bridging institution. With a wide and rich array of initiatives, its model appears to be an unprecedented sort of climate change consultancy, offering free services tailored to the needs of diverse stakeholders, ranging from the general public to government agencies to for-profit companies.

      Activities include the following:

      • A synthesis of climate predictions narrowly tailored to regions within the UK (comparable in size to a single US county) and industry sector (from leisure to manufacturing to financial services);
      • Online data;
      • A service connecting clients needing climate change research with researchers and projects;
      • Convening representatives of local governments for climate action;
      • In-person and online consultation with stakeholders to determine exactly what kind of climate information they can use;
      • rapid cliamte news dissemination: “cuttings packs,” a monthly collection of one- or two- paragraph summaries of the most relevant climate research published in the last month (the quality of both the selection and the summaries themselves is excellent.)

      Union of Concerned Scientists

      One of the nation’s premier organizations for social responsibility, transparency and accountability in science. Its core functions are policy and public campaigns. It appears to be the only major organization with a program dedicated to scientific freedom. Its climate change activities include some of the best online resources for the general public, including the only resources dedicated to local climate change effects. Initiatives relating to climate change communications at UCS include the following:

      • The Sound Science Initiative: The Sound Science Initiative provides media, policy and other outreach training for scientists, via online resources and workshops. Climate Change is one of the core program areas. SSI members regularly communicate with legislators and key administration officials to strengthen and support sound science-based policies to reduce the threat of climate change. SSI publicizes the importance of documents such as the National Assessment on climate impacts and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) assessment reports. Most recently, SSI collaborated with the Ecological Society of America to produce materials to bring the ecological impacts of climate change home to particular regions of the United States. SSI monitors news and policy for misrepresentation of climate and biodiversity science. The Program identifies opportunities for SSI members to send letters to newspapers, write to their policymakers, and submit comments to ederal dockets. SSI has also sponsored a series of meetings between a coalition of scientsts and their congressional representatives in Wahington DC, to discuss climate change issues. Thematically, climate change and biodiversity appear to be emphasized, but not exclusively.
      • Climate Messaging ProjectA workshop on communicating climate change science, available in its entirety as an audio download at the UCS site, along with its accompanying Powerpoint presentation.
      • Media Orientation ManualFor scientists
      • Legislative Guide: Policy communications guide for scientists; for actions by individuals, not for organizations; on how to communicate effectively with members of Congress, the president and the administration.
      • Action Alerts: Emails from SSI suggesting an effective action scientists can take on a particular time-sensitive issue.

      The Weather Channel

      The Weather Channel’s Climate Watch initiative is dedicated to educating viewers about climate change. Objectives of the initiative include the following: providing factual information to help viewers understand the impact of climate change on their lives; inspiring a sense of responsibility for the future of our planet; empowering viewers to take action and make a difference. As part of Climate Watch, The Weather Channel airs Climate Code. Each episode offers insightful dialogue and debate, with helpful tips that viewers can apply to their lives. The show includes perspectives from newsmakers, celebrities, and community leaders - with an overall message of hope. The Forecast Earth series explores news headlines associated with climate change.

      • One Degree: The Weather Channel’s website dedicated to climate change. One Degree’s mission is to present an open, balanced dialogue around the scientific facts concerning global climate change. It aims to provide a place where sound science cna be heard and a Forum where all people can question and debate. The site provides an online Forum for the exchange of ideas between both experts and non-experts in a non-political environment. One Degree also considers how climate change may already be affecting the lives of individuals, families, communities and businesses. One Degree editors seek contributions from experts who are involved in peer-reviewed research about global climate change, as well as others who are repsonding to global warming’s challenges. Content is moderated by The Weather Channel’s staff scientists.

      Woods Hole Research Center

      Conducts research, identifies policies, and supports educational activities that advance the well-being of humans and of the environment. Their mission is to understand the causes and consequences of environmental change as a basis for policy solutions for a better world. They specialize in ecological research on land use in the normally forested regions, including the Amazon Basin, Eurasia, the Congo Basin, and North America. They seek to conserve and sustain forests, soils, water, and energy by demonstrating their value to human health and economic prosperity. They work locally and regionally, assisting communities with resource management, and internationally to promote policies that stabilize climate and protect the integrity of the global environment.

      World Resources Institute Climate, Energy, and Transport Program

      By conducting independent research and developing innovative policy and business options, WRI is promoting an effective international and US response to climate change. In particular, WRI aims to:

      • Develop robust international agreements and US policies to protect the climate system
      • Foster widespread investment in climate-friendly energy and transportation technologies
      • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through clean alternatives supported by businesses, governments, nongovernmental organizations, and the public.

      Tackling the climate problem will require tremendous political, scientific, technological, and financial resources. To that end, WRI is focused on areas of work that build:

      • International Action
      • US Action
      • Sustainable Business and Markets
      • Technology Options
      • Green Power/Renewable Energy Use
      • Information and Analysis Tools

        • In addition, WRI “walks the talk” by reducing its own environmental footprint. Our efforts have led to some impressive results, and show what is possible when people work toward a sustainable future.

        World Wildlife Fund

        The Fund’s missions is the conservation of nature. WWF directs its conservation efforts toward three global goals: saving endangered species, protecting endangered habitats and addressing global threats such as toxic pollution, over-fishing and climate change. Programs related to climate change include Climate Savers, helping businesses create, implement and monitor GHG reduction plans. WWF monitors and participates in climate change policy worldwide, including Kyoto negotiations. Campaigns include clean electricity, grassroots organizing on climate change, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream partnership and “Witnesses to Climate Change,” which are testimonies from locals in non-western countries.

        Zero Carbon City

        A worldwide climate change outreach program of the British Council, including Science Cafes (informal public dialogues in bars and cafes) and exhibits in over 100 cities around the world. The British Council is a quasi-governmental agency that promotes British culture worldwide.

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