North Central Region One Water Action Forum

1. Climate change communication
Julie E. Doll, Ph.D.
Kellogg Biological Station &
Dept. Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
Michigan State University
jedoll@msu.edu
December 11, 2018

2. “As farmers, when we see a
problem, we try to fix it; we
don’t just sit back and wait for it
to get worse. But there is an
awful misconception driving the
day for many in the farming
community. Too many assume
there is no fix to this problem –
that there’s nothing we can do
to reverse the tide of climate
change. This is wrong, it is
defeatist, and it is out of step
with the international scientific,
business and policymaking
communities.”
Roger Johnson is president of
the National Farmers Union, a third
generation farmer North Dakota, and
previously served as North Dakota
Agriculture Commissioner.

3. “The Trump
administration is
expected on Tuesday to
unveil a plan that would
weaken federal clean
water rules designed to
protect millions of acres
of wetlands and
thousands of miles of
streams nationwide
from pesticide runoff and
other pollutants.”

4. Why communicate
about climate change?
1. Climate change is real.
2. Scientists are concerned about its
effect on agriculture.
3. To help stakeholders adapt to
changes and be part of the climate
change solution.

9. Warming observed over the last century is highly
unusual.
Present conditions are outside the range of natural
cycles experienced by humans.
Natural changes (sun, volcanoes, etc) continue to affect
climate today…
…but warming of the last century is primarily human-
induced.
The scientific consensus
Slide courtesy of Greg Hitzhusen

10. Who agrees with the scientific consensus?
http://www.cooldavis.org/about/science-of-climate-change/

11. • US Climate Change Science Program (created by George
W Bush Admin)
• US National Academy of Sciences and national
academies of 32 other nations (none disagree)
• Every major scientific organization whose members
include climate scientists
• More than 97% of climate researchers actively publishing
in the field (NAS, 2010)
• The Pentagon, Wal-Mart, American Electric Power, The
Pope, The Dalai Lama
• Every major religious denomination w/ a climate change
statement except the Southern Baptist Convention
Who agrees with the scientific consensus?
Slide courtesy of Greg Hitzhusen

12. Climate change & the American public
(Cook et al. 2013; Leiserowitz et al. 2013; http://www.climatechangecommunication.org)
(Ding et al. 2011, Nature Climate Change)
“Climate change still feels remote, like
it will happen well into the future or
only to poor people far away.”

13. The Six Americas

14. Climate change communication guidelines
1. Social learning – remember values! Acting on climate
change is not value-neutral.
• We acquire scientific knowledge by consulting others
who share our values.
• “If you are one of us, believe this; otherwise, we’ll
know you are one of them.”
• We form risk perceptions that match our values, and
the values of those we trust.
(Kahan, et. al, 2014; CRED 2014)

15. 2. Trusted sources of information
Climate change communication guidelines
(CRED 2014; Doll et al. 2018)

16. 3. Dialogue is key
Climate change communication guidelines
(CRED 2015; NRC 2009; Doll et al. 2018)

17. https://www.aaas.org

18. 4. Focus on the five key messages (simple, clear messages
repeated often by a variety of trusted sources)
1.Climate change is real.
2.People are causing it.
3.There is widespread agreement (97%)
among climate scientists on the above two
points.
4.Climate change is harmful to people.
5.We can do something about it.
Climate change communication guidelines
(Maibach and van der Linden, 2016; van der Linden et al. 2016)

19. 5. Know your audience, frame your message
• Public health
• Energy security
• Local impacts
• Biodiversity
• Conservation of
finite resources
Climate change communication guidelines
http://www.connectingonclimate.org

20. 6. Local & relevant, offer solutions
Climate change communication guidelines
(CRED 2015; NRC 2009; Doll & Bode, in press)

21.  Cultivating Resilience, LLC 2018 Lengnick 2015
• Adaptation stories of 25 award-
winning sustainable U.S. producers
• 20 to 40+ years at same location

22. Key resilience assets
1. Soil health
2. Planned biodiversity
3. Diverse high value markets
4. Irrigation/drainage
5. Physical protection
Lengnick 2015  Cultivating Resilience, LLC 2018

23. Lengnick 2015 Cultivating Resilience, LLC 2018

24. 1. What are your key weather-related challenges?
Identify current and near-term weather-related exposures
specific to your operation (EXPOSURE)
2. What are your key production threats?
Prioritize climate-related threats to your operation
(SENSITIVITY)
3. What are your options?
Identify adaptive actions; develop a list of practices that
enhance the response, recovery and transformation
capacities of your operation. (ADAPTIVE CAPACITY)
4. What is the best mix of adaptation options?
Find the most appropriate mix of practices that reduce
climate risks and capture new opportunities for your
operation. (CLIMATE RESILIENCY)
 Cultivating Resilience, LLC 2018

25. http://www.cornellopen.org/978150
1730795/communicating-climate-
change/

26. Thank you!
Julie E. Doll, Ph.D.
jedoll@msu.edu