14
BAMOS
Sep 2018
Article
Climate Change Communication
Research Hub
David Holmes and Stephanie Hall
Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub (MCCCRH), Monash University
Email: [email protected]
Working across climate science and communications, the
Climate Change Communication Research Hub acts as a
broker to bring climate information to large audiences across
all forms of mainstream media. The Hub works closely with
AMOS, and at Monash, is the nexus between communications
and climate science, with members spanning seven Faculties
and two Institutes. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ailie Gallant,
Senior Research Fellow, Earth, Atmosphere and Environment at
Monash to the role of Hub Deputy-Director.
Currently we are working across television, newspaper and
radio to deliver climate information that avoids advocacy and
sticks to the facts. This is underpinned by our approach to
deliver easy-to-process climate information to large audiences
as often as possible.
Television
The Hub is currently piloting its ‘Climate Communicators’
program in Melbourne and has partnered with Channel 7 and
the ABC to broadcast monthly and seasonal 50-year time-series
graphs. There are five basic packages we have been delivering:
average maximums, highest maximums, highest minima,
number of rainfall days, and days above a specific threshold. To
ensure scientific accuracy, each package is technically reviewed
and signed off by members of AMOS and climate scientists here
at Monash. You can see a short clip of recent broadcasts here.
While these recent packages have only contained historical
data, the Hub is currently working with the CSIRO’s Climate
Science Centre to also include outward projections in the
coming months.
Newspaper
At the end of August, the Hub was awarded a grant of $260,000
from the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, for our newest
project, ‘Pressing the Climate - Community Newspapers as
Climate Educators’. The Grant team includes David Holmes, Ailie
Gallant, Briony Rogers (Monash), Tim Morrow (BoM), Ed Maibach
(George Mason Centre for Climate Change Communication, US)
and Bernadette Placky (Climate Central, US).
Climate information presented in television weather segments. Top
and bottom: Paul Hig gins, ABC Victoria; Middle: Jane Bunn, Seven
Network.
Images provided by Stephanie Hall