On June 12, 2024, the Yale Center for Environmental Communication hosted a conversation focused on the field of attribution science — a field focused on determining the influence of human-induced climate change on extreme weather events. During this talk we learned about the field of attribution science— a field focused on determining the influence of human-induced climate change on extreme weather events. We learned how scientists establish these connections as well as how to effectively communicate the impact of human-caused climate change on extreme weather events.
This discussion was moderated by Dr. Jennifer Marlon, Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of the Environment. It featured a panel of expert climate scientists and communicators including Dr. Friederike Otto, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment and Co-Lead of World Weather Attribution, Dr. Andrew Pershing, VP for Science at Climate Central, and Dr. Laura Thomas-Walters, Research Specialist and Deputy Director of Experimental Research at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Summary & Takeaways
Dr. Friederike Otto, a Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment and Co-Lead of World Weather Attribution (WWA), discussed the complexities and methodologies of attribution science. She highlighted how understanding the influence of human-induced climate change on extreme weather events is crucial. Her work, along with other attribution scientists, aims to distinguish which events are significantly affected by climate change.
For no type of extreme event is the role of climate change stronger and more obvious than for extreme heat events. The work of WWA and other attribution scientists shows that many of the high temperatures experienced during extreme heat waves over the past 12 months would have been impossible without human-induced climate change. Dr. Otto explains that, while this doesn’t mean there wouldn’t have been a heat wave, it would have been significantly cooler.
Similarly, Dr. Andrew Pershing, VP for Science at Climate Central, highlights how some events are easier or more difficult than others to attribute to climate change, with temperature being one of the easiest and one that influences many of these other events, like hurricanes. Climate Central has developed the Climate Shift Index (CSI), which is an interactive tool that maps the influence of climate change on daily temperatures across the globe. It can be used to alert the public about extreme heat influenced by climate change.
Dr. Pershing highlighted the importance of not only studying the weather events themselves, but also the impacts of these events on human lives. By focusing on the effects of these events, scientists can better understand and communicate the real-world implications of climate change. Dr. Otto shared that, while extreme weather can result in disasters, it won’t cause damage if there are no people, infrastructure, or ecosystems in its path. However, the more exposed and vulnerable the people and ecosystems are, the more devastating these events can be, regardless of the severity of the weather event.
Dr. Thomas-Walters underscored the importance of effective communication in relation to climate change and extreme weather events. She emphasized the need for targeted messaging, particularly during instances of extreme weather, as these are opportunities to connect with people directly experiencing these events. Preliminary research from YPCCC suggests that merely discussing heat waves can lead people to attribute them to climate change, and explicitly making that connection for them is even more impactful.
She highlighted the need for hope and empowerment in climate change communication, stressing both collective action and personal lifestyle changes, like biking to work. She suggested appealing to people’s values and sparking conversations about climate change within social networks to break the “culture of silence”, noting that many, across political lines, are more concerned than perceived. Ultimately, while climate change is a polarizing issue in some countries, messaging about its link to extreme weather events can be effective among a wide range of audiences, with minimal backlash.