Communicating Climate Science: A Historic Look to the Future
Thira, Santorini, Greece
15–19 April 2013
Conference Objectives and General Description
The goal of this Chapman Conference is to bring together scholars, social scientists, and journalists to discuss both the history and recent advances in the understanding of climate science and how to communicate that science to policymakers, the media, and society. A research agenda of the conference will focus on the efficacy of scientific communication, with ideas on improved practices arising as an outcome from collaborations spawned at the conference.
This exploration will take place through: 1) discussions covering the history of climate science and successes and failures in communicating scientific ideas to the policy makers and public; 2) an assessment of where we are with respect to current knowledge of climate science and its communication and acceptance by society; 3) a comparison with experiences in other areas producing similar difficulties between scientific knowledge dissemination, societal acceptance of that knowledge, and governance.
Conveners
Climate Science
Natalia Andronova (Expertise: Climate sensitivity and feedbacks); University of Michigan, natand@umich.edu
Phil Rasch (Expertise: Climate Modeling and research in Geoengineering); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Philip.Rasch@pnl.gov
James Byrne (Expertise: Global Environmental Change, Water Resources, Science Education and Communication); University of Lethbridge, byrne@uleth.ca
Climate Science History and Communication
John Perry (Expertise: Climate Science History and Communication) – senior member; National Research Council (retired), johnperry@cox.net
Naomi Oreskes (Expertise: Science History, Climate Science Communication); University of California San Diego, naoreskes@ucsd.edu
Program Committee
Climate Science
Ben Santer (Expertise: Climate trends; data analysis); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, santer1@llnl.gov
Ken Caldeira (Expertise: Climate, carbon, and energy); Carnegie Institution of Washington, kcaldeira@stanford.edu
Myles Allen (Expertise: Attribution climate change); University of Oxford, UK, allen@atm.ox.ac.uk
Gabi Hegerl (Expertise: Climate variability); The University of Edinburgh, UK, Gabi.Hegerl@ed.ac.uk
Alan Robock (Expertise: Climate radiative forcing); Rutgers University, robock@envsci.rutgers.edu
Vladimir Kattsov (Expertise: Arctic climate variability and trends); Main Geophysical Observatory, Russia, kattsov@mail.ru
Mike Mastrandrea (Expertise: Integrated assessment modeling); Stanford University, mikemas@stanford.edu
Social Science
Michael Oppenheimer (Expertise: Environmental policy); Princeton University, omichael@princeton.edu
Paul Edwards (Expertise: Information infrastructures; climate science); University of Michigan, pne@umich.edu
Steven Lloyd (Expertise: Sustainability); Syracuse University, steven.a.lloyd@nasa.gov
Journalists/Communicators
Bud Ward (Expertise: Climate change communication); Yale University, wardbud@gmail.com
Oliver Morton (Expertise: Journalist, Energy and Environment Editor); The Economist Magazine, OliverMorton@economist.com
Travel Support
The conference organizers are seeking travel support for participation, including students and early-career professionals. If travel funds become available, an announcement will be widely circulated with instructions on the application process and deadline.
Further Information
If you would like to receive future updates about this conference, e-mail chapman-climatescience@agu.org or call the AGU Meetings Department at +1-202-777-7330.
For information about the scientific program, please contact: Natalia Andronova; natand@umich.edu