Communicating beyond 1.5C

As the latest reports tell us about the increasing likelihood of passing our globally agreed 1.5C target, climate scientists face a new urgent and complex communications challenge.

I spoke to six climate scientists in the UK to check in with how they felt about the 1.5C target. I wanted to find out what being a climate spokesperson meant to them. 

This is what I learned from our conversations:

The 1.5C global temperature target, pledged back in 2015 during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, may have been a powerful communications tool for focusing climate policy in the UK. However, nine years later we’re starting to see the downside to having this ambitious goal: stories of political failure.

The climate scientists I spoke to were aware of the risks that missed targets pose to shutting down the climate conversation. Many recognise that this moment may lead to people feeling hopeless and disenfranchised. We need to move away from the abstract number to a more people-centred story. “1.5C is not a cliff we fall off”, but what we do know is that the warmer the world gets, the harder it will be for communities to engage effectively in shaping a more sustainable and fairer future. 

Every tenth of a degree matters and it is possible to have better conversations about the vital role people play in keeping warming to a minimum.

I’ve learned that the climate science community has a diverse range of perspectives and worldviews. The paths they’ve taken to both understand climate change and the solutions have been shaped by their different values – from wanting a better world for their kids to their curiosity for understanding the world around them.

The climate scientists I spoke to expressed that they don’t often get a chance to share their passions that shaped their own scientific journeys. One of the climate scientists chuckled when I asked if they ever get a chance to speak like a human, not just a scientist.

Many of the scientists I spoke to were grappling with what it means to be a credible voice on climate. “There’s a responsibility for someone who knows more than the average person. If experts are not speaking, does that undermine the problem? Are we inadvertently signing off on current practice?” 

While many see the importance of the trusted role they play, speaking to the public requires time, skills and the confidence to speak responsibly, “I need to tread carefully”. Climate scientists not only represent themselves and their institution, they also speak on behalf of the entire scientific community. However passionate they are about motivating people on climate, they hesitate to say anything that may damage this reputation.

On the other hand, if we don’t see climate scientists connecting emotionally with the topic, how can we expect others to be moved? The climate scientists I spoke to put a lot of work into containing emotion when it comes to speaking publicly on climate, “sharing emotion is fine as long as it’s relevant to the evidence you’re presenting and the existing promises not fulfilled.”

Nearly every climate scientist I spoke to told me that the hardest question they receive is: “so what do I do?” If they want to inspire an audience, they know it needs to feel relevant and tangible, “it’s about working out the range of options for having a meaningful impact.” The latest insights from our Britain Talks Climate research shows us that if change is (or feels) unfair, it will likely receive push back. We need to be able to empathise with people’s different capacities for action.

Climate scientists have the opportunity to tell authentic stories that enable individuals and communities to broaden our collective sense of belonging to a future that is sustainable and fair.

Climate scientists can play an influential role in inspiring people to shape, support and participate in the climate solutions our world so urgently needs. 

At Climate Outreach, we’re committed to working alongside climate scientists to ensure that their vital work not only informs but also inspires action across society. Together, we can turn knowledge into action and create a future where the climate crisis is met with the full force of human collaboration, imagination and purpose.

Join our online public engagement training for climate experts on 6 November and become a powerful climate communicator. Sign up here.