Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Happy New Year from the YPCCC team!  2014 was a big year for climate change – from major scientific reports, to public marches, to breakthrough international agreements – and it was an incredible year for us.

Here are some highlights from our work last year and where we’re taking these projects in 2015:

1. Climate Connections National Radio Broadcast

In 2014, we launched a new daily, 90-second national radio program and podcast called “Climate Connections”.

The series helps listeners “connect the dots” – between climate change and energy, extreme weather, public health, food and water, jobs and the economy, national security, and the creative arts. Some episodes explain the science of global warming, others highlight the impacts, while others focus on solutions. Many episodes highlight how the issue is touching the lives of Americans right here and now, while spotlighting people and organizations doing amazing work.

Since August, 100 episodes have aired and so far the program is broadcast daily in more than 80 markets in 25 states and Canada, with new stations joining every week. All past episodes are available at the Climate Connections website and as downloadable podcasts on iTunes.

2. The Yale-AP-NORC National Environment Poll

This year we partnered with the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research to conduct a nationally representative survey on Americans’ environmental beliefs, attitudes, policy support and behavior. The first articles from the poll were published in over 300 media outlets around the world – Poll: Half of Republicans back limits on carbon

In 2015 we will release additional results from this exciting new study. We will also host a live webinar to explore the results in more detail.

3. #ClimateThanks

During Thanksgiving week, we organized the second annual #ClimateThanks campaign on Twitter. More than 4,000 people and organizations celebrated each other’s achievements with more than 8,000 tweets, and reached another 70 million people with their messages celebrating new government action, the largest climate march in history, and countless efforts across the country and around the world to reduce carbon emissions. We hope to do it again this year!

4. Peer-Reviewed Articles

In 2014, we and our colleagues published 9 peer-reviewed articles, including:

• The genesis of climate change activism: From key beliefs to political action. Climatic Change.
• Shifting discourses of climate change in India. Climatic Change.
• The role of emotion in global warming policy support and opposition. Risk Analysis.
• How to communicate the scientific consensus on climate change: Plain facts, pie charts, or metaphors? Climatic Change.
• “Fracking” controversy and communication: Using national survey data to understand public perceptions of hydraulic fracturing. Energy Policy.
• Integrating coastal vulnerability and community-based subsistence resource mapping in northwest Alaska. Journal of Coastal Research.

5. Climate Change in the American Mind

Since 2008, in partnership with our wonderful colleagues at the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, we’ve conducted a series of nationally representative surveys on Americans’ responses to climate change and released dozens of very well-received reports.  Last year we conducted 2 new surveys and reported the findings, including:

• Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes
• Public Support for Climate and Energy Policies
• Americans’ Actions to Limit Global Warming
• Global Warming’s Six Americas
• Extreme Weather and Climate Change in the American Mind
• What’s in a Name? Global Warming vs. Climate Change
• Politics & Global Warming
• Public Perceptions of the Health Consequences of Global Warming

In 2015 we will conduct another 2 national surveys – in the spring and fall – investigating other critical dimensions of public engagement with climate change. We also have some exciting new initiatives in the works that we can’t reveal just yet – please stay tuned!

As always, thank you for your continued support – we look forward to continuing our work together in this new year.