Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Recent mass bleaching, cyclones, and flooding have devastated the Great Barrier Reef near Australia, leading to “significant coral mortality.” In-water surveys by the Australian Institute of Marine Science between August and October found up to 72% of coral dead in 12 northern reefs, from Lizard Island to Cardwell. Across the northern section, over one-third of hard coral cover was lost, marking the “largest annual decline” in 39 years of government monitoring. Events such as the Austral summer, Tropical Cyclones Jasper and Kirrily, and freshwater inundation between December 2023 and March 2024 have heightened the Reef’s vulnerability to bleaching. Bleaching occurs when rising water temperatures force coral to expel microscopic algae called zooxanthellae, leaving them colorless and often leading to death. With 2024 already marking the fifth mass bleaching event in eight years, scientists warn that the Reef is nearing a tipping point. To protect the Reef’s future, experts urge Australia to adopt stronger emission reduction targets—at least 90% below 2005 levels by 2035—and to transition permanently away from fossil fuels. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dg28u4Bs via Al Jazeera Media Network

Good news for climate communicators in Ireland and worldwide: Our new segmentation of Climate Change’s Four Irelands and our climate opinion maps for Ireland have just been updated! Takeaways from the updated maps include: - Irish climate opinion maps show strong support for addressing climate change across the country. - The Irish public are engaged in climate change. However, more are “Concerned” than “Alarmed”, meaning many don’t yet recognize that the impacts are already “here and now”. - About half of adults in Ireland think climate change is mostly caused by human activities (53%) but there is significant variation across counties. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eSRuyYqm

A large majority of Washington state voters (62%) rejected a ballot initiative to repeal the state’s Climate Commitment Act, a carbon cap-and-trade law that has raised over $2 billion for the state. The Act mandates companies to purchase pollution permits at quarterly auctions, incentivizing businesses to cut their emissions while simultaneously generating funds for climate programs such as free public transport for youth and the installation of energy-efficient heat pumps. While similar cap-and-trade legislation exists in other states, Washington’s law is more ambitious, aiming to cut emissions in half by 2030 and by 95% by 2050. Carbon pricing has long been seen as politically risky, with opponents of the Act blaming it for raising gas prices. The ballot measure would have not only struck down Washington’s pollution pricing but also blocked the state from enacting similar policies in the future. Many are hopeful that voters' decision to keep the law will encourage more states to pass similar legislation. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gCQ75wtY via Grist

A new study finds that stakeholders within financial institutions can promote climate-aligned investing. Takeaways include: - Asset owners are the legal owners of financial capital, and many are still thinking about how to align their investments with climate realities. Private individuals who are the beneficiaries of these funds can influence how much asset owners prioritize climate change. - Lawyers and other advisors can help investment fund directors by explaining how to align climate goals with financial goals. - The climate policy and finance communities must collaborate to provide actionable insights to support the decision-making of asset owners. High-level ideas such as “invest in solar” need to be converted into specific steps, recommendations, and operational details. Read more: https://lnkd.in/diYqJVJ5

China has the bold climate target of achieving carbon neutrality before 2060. But what is the Chinese public’s perception of this goal and their confidence in reaching it? In a new article published in Volume 66 Issue 6 of Environment Magazine, lead authors Binbin Wang and Danning(Leilani) Lu et al., present the results from the first nationally representative survey of Chinese public support for China’s climate policies. The survey was conducted across a range of demographics and analysed results against secondary factors including gender, age, location, education, income, occupation, and health. The survey findings indicate that a significant majority of the Chinese public is informed and supportive of the goal of carbon neutrality, however, this result varies significantly across different demographics. To read about the full results of the survey on Chinese public awareness, support, and confidence in China’s carbon neutrality goal click the link in bio. Anthony Leiserowitz, Jennifer Carman, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Taylor & Francis Group

A new article “Unintended consequences of using maps to communicate sea-level rise” in the journal Nature Sustainability” looks at the impacts of sea-level rise maps on risk perceptions. Key takeaways include: -Flood maps can backfire: Coastal residents, even those facing future flooding, can become less concerned when shown sea-level rise projections for the distant future. -Coastal residents became more worried about flood risks when told how sea-level rise will affect their daily commute. -Test before scaling: Risk communicators should test different data visualization strategies before launching climate communication campaigns. ?Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e5tXMJQq

Lo que nosotros sabemos de Puerto Rico es que está llena de gente preocupada por el cambio climático. Ve nuestro seminario web donde contestamos las preguntas de nuestra audiencia sobre el cambio climático. https://lnkd.in/eEvgEHPu

?únete a nosotros el 25 de octubre para escuchar a nuestro panel de expertos! ?Tienes preguntas sobre el cambio climático? Estaremos contestándolas en un evento especial el viernes 25 de octubre de 2024, al mediodía EDT, con la participación del climatólogo Dr. Rafael Méndez Tejeda, el científico Dr. Luis Alexis Rodríguez-Cruz y la periodista con sede en Miami Johani Carolina Ponce. #cambioclimático #crisisclimática

2024 is a critically important election year for the climate. As Election Day nears in the U.S., we’re providing a round-up of our election-relevant resources and insights - journalists, advocates, and others are encouraged to utilize these findings, including: - Where global warming ranks as a voter priority - What a “pro-climate” voter looks like - Voters’ #1 reason to reduce global warming - Data on climate attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors for every state and county - Tips on talking to people about climate from Yale Climate Connections Explore our work here: https://lnkd.in/eBwUmBbB

We are pleased to announce the release of a new publication in the Informal Learning Review: Museums use the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication’s Insights to Guide Their Climate Exhibits and Programs. This new study is a great read for our friends in the museum and informal education spaces, and has several key takeaways including: Many Americans want museums of all types, including natural history museums, zoos, aquaria, public gardens, art, and history to engage their communities in climate change. A growing number of museums are developing targeted and effective climate communication exhibits by using the Six Americas Super Short SurveY (SASSY) to better understand their visitors. Museums are also applying insights from social science research to break the climate spiral of silence, build social norms around taking climate action, and empower their visitors to participate in climate solutions. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eWWYz43S