4 / 2022 // LEOPOLDINA / NEWS 13
What should we talk about : Climate change , climate crisis or climate catastrophe ?
Complex issues – a challenge for science communication and journalism
The COVID-19 pandemic , antibiotic resistance , climate change – research topics and findings that need to be explained to the public are often very complex . In addition , scientists have a different role to journalists . So how can a subject such as climate change be communicated across the board ? And has anything been missed in the presentation and communication of the climate crisis over the last 30 years ?
Science and the media have a different understanding of balance – this sometimes leads to evidence-based findings being presented in a truncated pro-contra-scheme .
ing about a climate catastrophe ,” says meteorologist and weather presenter Özden Terli on the ZDF television channel . “ Climate change is too bland .”
In his opinion , the topic should be taken up in fictional formats such as series , TV films and cinema films . Because : “ The existential problem is not ( yet ) being taken seriously by society ,
FACTSHEET CLIMATE CHANGE
The Leopoldina fact sheet “ Climate Change : Causes , Consequences and Possible Action ” presents knowledge about the causes and consequences of climate change in a generally understandable way . In addition , the role of tipping elements as well as aspects of emissions budgets and reductions are explained . The relationships and data are illustrated in a visual and compact form .
Factsheet
Graphics : Sisters of Design | Leopoldina
Science provides facts and shows options for action ,“ emphasises Leopoldina Vice-President Robert Schlögl ML . „ It does not have the task of lecturing people ,“ he adds . The media also do not have an „ educational mandate “. Rather , journalists select topics for reporting , classify , question and comment . However , it naturally plays a role how often and in what form a topic appears .
Have the media not reported climate change in the right way so far ? This question was also discussed at this year ’ s Leopoldina Journalist Collegium in Bremerhaven / Germany in September . “ In our news programmes we have to cover current news , which sometimes means that it does not make the report ,” says editor Anja Martini . “ And of course it is not easy to present the entire IPCC report in about 1 minute 30 – the standard length of new reports . But we still have to try .”
The scientific community is often critical of some of the media for still allowing climate change deniers to have their say as experts of equivalent standing . An image of scientific knowledge is conveyed that reflects opinions and is not based on scientific evidence .
Journalists often discuss which images and terms should be used : Is “ climate change ” in fact the right term for what is happening ? “ We should be talkotherwise we would behave differently .” Others fear that the term climate catastrophe is more likely to wear thin and that readers , viewers and users will become immune to it .
How do science communication and the media reach people ? News editor ( of Tagesschau ) Anja Martini is convinced : “ We have to explain a lot more without pointing fingers .” New formats are now available for this purpose , she reports : The Tagesschau-online page has a knowledge section where all reports on the climate crisis can be found and since the beginning of November Tagesschau24 shows a 15 to 25 minute magazine show “ KlimaZeit ” every Friday before the regular news programme . “ We want to explain the climate crisis in detail and present the latest results of climate research .” For this , the media would need experts from the science community and their factual knowledge .
■ CWE