Climate change risk communication

From the standpoint of an expert on climate change projections, this chapter proposes a framework of “climate change risk communication” in which various stakeholders, including citizens, experts, industries and governments, communicate with each other on climate change risks. For communication to support adaptation policy-making, specific risk information for a particular region and sector is required. It is critical for stakeholders to have a proper understanding of the uncertainties in natural climate variability and scientific projections. For communication to support developing public opinion on mitigation policies and motivations for individual actions, comprehensive risk information is required for many sectors and aspects at the global scale. It is important for experts to provide unbiased information from a value-neutral standpoint, overcoming exaggerations seen in mass media as well as scepticism. Overall, it is important to distinguish supporting decision-making from decisionmaking itself, and to develop mutual trust among stakeholders through communication.

Related Subject(s): Environment and Climate Change