Communicating Climate Change Myanmar Mar 16

  

Module 3b Communication

^{Communicating Climate Change} Communication, Public Awareness and Public Education for Climate Change and DRR

  

“Scientific, engineering, and organizational solutions are not

enough. Societies must be motivated and empowered to adopt the needed changes.”

  Module 3b Communication

Climate change can seem a

complex topic…

  

…and there are some challenges

to communicating about it…

• The media often focuses on worst case scenarios in the far future that can make people feel disempowered
• Hard to communicate CC simply at the same time as based on scientific fact
• Hard to reach all members of the community
• Uncertainty of climate predictions can make people _{Photo: IFRC} less likely to act

  Module 3b Communication

  

…but talking about it doesn’t

need to be difficult!

• We need to talk to people about climate change
• But we have to be careful about the messages we convey!
• Integration is key
• there is no “one-size- fits-all” approach to communicating about _{Photo: IFRC} climate change.

  Module 3b Communication

In this presentation

• Principals of communicating climate change
• Understanding the psychology of climate change communication
• Examples from the Red Cross Movement • Exercise: integration in DRR
_{Photos: Charlotte Floors / PfR}

  Module 3b Communication Getting started: When should you talk about climate change?

• Should you be talking about climate change?
• It is not always relevant to all communities or programmes
• Putting too much emphasis can lead to people attributing all problems to climate change!
• Even when climate change is an issue, a lot of detail may not be appropriate _{Module 3b Communication}

  Photos: Danish Red Cross

What are your comms objectives?

• What do you want to achieve with your communication about climate change?
• What do you want people to do

  differently – how do you want

  them to change behaviour?

• Raising awareness of a particular problem?
• Delivering simplified forecast information, e.g on rainfall or drought?
_{Photos:RCCC Module 3b Communication COP 20, Lima information stand at UNFCC} Peruvian Red Cross at
• Awareness raising is key to behaviour change
• About climate change and why it is happening
• About increasing humanitarian impacts
• About what the RC is doing to address impacts and vulnerabilities

  Module 3b Communication

  Raising awareness Awareness-raising at the COP ^{Photos: IFRC-RCCC}

Behaviour change

• CCA often about a _{(e.g. rather than building things: ducks vs chickens)} behaviour shift
• Need to be clear about

  what people can do to reduce vulnerability to climate change?

• Why should they do it?
• Often targeting specific _{Photo: Nancy Okwengu/IFRC-}

  groups or communities _{Hand-washing in Kenya} RCCC Module 3b Communication But remember… Climate change awareness alone does not lead directly to people adopting climate- smart DRR. People take action only when:

• they know what specific actions can be

  taken to reduce their risks

• •they are convinced that these actions will

  be effective

• they believe in their own ability

  to carry out the tasks.

• It relates to their lives

  Module 3b Communication

Bridging science and practice

• Helping people understand complex scientific information
• Integrating scientific info into DRR progs – to make climate- smart
• Communicating forecasts in a useful & understandable way
• Incorporate changing risk patterns in community risk reduction plans _{Ethiopia Using forecasts for early warning in}

  Photo: RCCC Module 3b Communication

Principles for communicating Climate Change

  1. Tailor messages to your audience

  2. Used mixed methods and approaches

  3. Manage your community engagement well _{Photo: RCCC}

  Module 3b Communication

  

Principle 1: Tailor messages to your audience:

  Who are they? What groups do they belong to? What are the misconceptions around risk and climate change? How can we work to change these misconceptions or use them for our benefit? _{Photo: RCCC}

  Module 3b Communication

Consider the following groups:

• Communities
• VDMCs and other community committees
• Local authorities
• RC branch staff and volunteers

  Module 3b Communication

  (including specific group such as farmers, fishermen)

  What might they need to know about climate change? What would your key messages be? ^{Photo: Raimond Duijsens/NLRC}

What are your key messages?

• What information about climate change does your target group need?
• What (if anything) do you want them _{Cross Photo: Danish Red}

  to do? _{changing climate in Nepal lowlands Considering water management options in a} • Why should they _{Module 3b Communication} do it?

TAILORING MESSAGES

• Tailoring messages to your audience makes them more effective
• What are the key messages you need to give to each type of audience?
Photo: Danish Red<
• Be as specific as
_Cross pos
• How can you INTEGRATE into what you are already doing / communicating?? _{Module 3b Communication}

  Examples for farmers Information about rising uncertainty and more climate extremes

  Information about where to get good forecasts

  Information about how to use Information forecasts about changing seasonal rainfall

  Use climate information to inform decision- making

  Seek advice on other ways of Consider building resilience livelihood to a changing diversification _{Module 3b Communication} climate

  

Developing your messages : tips

 Keep it simple and straightforward
• – don’t use scientific terms

   Be positive – avoid creating fear  Ensure that your messages are correct – have an expert check them

   Consider religious and traditional belief systems

   Build on existing community knowledge of weather and climate

   Be careful that people don’t blame everything on climate change _{Module 3b Communication}

How to get your audience’s attention: tips

• Frame climate change as a local issue: increases sense of connection and understanding and promotes development of local solutions
• Reinforce the humanitarian link: talk about climate change not only as an environmental problem, but linked to health, economy, security etc.
• People approach goals differently, so

  tailor messages to reflect this:

• those with a promotion focus see a goal as an ideal and prefer to act eagerly to maximize or increase gains. _{Module 3b Communication} • People with a prevention focus see a goal as something they ought to do and prefer to act vigilantly to minimize or decrease losses

Example: tailoring a message for promotion and prevention

  If we want people to change people’s behaviour on managing solid waste we should explain options in different ways: A promotion message emphasizes “going the extra mile” (e.g., going out of one’s way to dispose properly of waste, how this benefits the community).

  A prevention message _{Module 3b Communication} encourages being careful to dispose properly of waste, how not doing this hurts the

  

Translate scientific data into

concrete experience

  The brain has two processing systems: experiential (controls survival behaviour, source of emotions and instincts); and

  analytical (controls analysis of scientific information).

  The most effective communication targets both:

  use experiential tools AND facts and figures.

  film footage, Vivid imagery: personal accounts, concrete comparisons; Messages designed to create _{Module 3b Communication} and highlight personal experience and to get an emotional response.

Now & Future

  For behaviour change, present information that people aware of potential

  current and future losses if they do not take action as well as

  focusing on current and future gains.

• a diversification of crop planting can provide solutions now and can prevent less loss of income and food in the future if _{Module 3b Communication} there is drought or flooding

  

Principal 2: used mixed methods: How will

you communicate your key messages?
• Who is going to communicate?
• How will they communicate?
• How can you reach all groups?

  Participatory games for communicati on and _{Photo: RCCC} learning in _{Module 3b Communication} Nicaragua

Remember…

  Different groups… …require different approaches _{Games and competitions Posters and leaflets} Publications _{Audio and video materials} Performing arts _{Social media}

  Telecommunication: radio, TV Module 3b Communication

Keep it interactive

• Jokes • Art • Flash mobs
• Drama • Games • Surprises

  Module 3b Communication

  Keep your audience involved with participatory methods: _Films

  Surprises

Principal 3: Manage community

  

engagement: Encourage group

participation &amp; discussion!
• Many community decisions related to CCA are group decisions
• understanding community dynamics and fostering participation is key
• Group processes allow individuals with a range of knowledge, skills, and personal experience to share these and work together on a problem. _{Module 3b Communication}

  How To Set the Stage for Effective Group Discussions on Climate Change General facilitation skills apply– e.g. understanding your audience &amp; group dynamics, allow time for discussion

Ask the community about how they are already

experiencing climate change. This is the best way to start a discussion about what climate change is (and isn't) Use discussion to generate solutions. People

are more willing to talk about a problem if they feel

there are solutions This helps keep messages positive, encourages _{Module 3b Communication} optimism, and demonstrates how groups can be a powerful force in tackling climate change challenges

  Example: Benefits of talking about Climate Change info in groups

  Extensive evidence from CRED’s work with farmers in Africa suggest that people

  may understand information about things that might happen better when it is presented to a group, where

  members have a _{Module 3b Communication} chance to discuss it, rather than as individuals who have to try to understand it

Examples from the field: participatory video

• Villagers in Ethiopia and Uganda made films to demonstrate adaptation techniques to their peers
• Raising awareness and providing examples of resilience _{Photo: Mamadou Marikou/Wetlands}

  building activities _{International)}

• Smaller target group,

  Participatory video training of women defined messages village leaders in Mali _{Module 3b Communication}

   Use visuals to

Climate

  communicate climate

Visuals

  change – but use the RIGHT visuals

   Images should be positive

  and focus on solutions

  so people feel they can do something about it: climate solutions generate positive emotional responses and feelings of hope – climate impacts and causes can create fear

   Images should be strong _{Module 3b Communication} enough to motivate action

Climate Visuals: key principals

   Use real people and real photos and eye contact  Couple scenes of destruction with photos of solutions

  

 Tell new stories: people can’t always relate to

typical images  Show causes of climate change at scale –

not just how individuals are causing it. This is

more likely to be understood.

   Showing climate impacts is powerful – but need use with ideas for concrete behaviour change to do something about it

   Show local impacts – but they have to be _{Module 3b Communication} serious enough to provoke action  Know your audience: different images will move different types of people

  

Things to consider: partnerships

• Find other actors to work with – this can strengthen your message
• Link your communications campaigns to events like e.g. National DRR day, or the release of a major climate change report
• Build relationships with local and national media and make sure they cover _{Photo: RCCC}

  your events _{Module 3b Communication}

Afterwards: were you successful?

• Did you achieve your objectives?
• How do you know?
• If not, why not?
• What would you do differently next time?

  Module 3b Communication

  Climate games in India ^{Photo: RCCC}

  

We need to make all our DRR

messages CLIMATE-SMART!

Module 3b Communication

  Module 3b Communication 4 working groups

   Step 1:

  One set of hazard key messages is assigned to each group (on drought)

  

 Step 2: Identify 2-3 key messages that are most “climate

smart” to deliver to the communities you work with.

   Step 3: Consider “misconceptions” of risk and CC linked

  to these messages – what behaviour do we want them to change?

   Step 4: Decide which medium of dissemination to use

  (example: radio, brochures, etc.)

  

 Step 5: Decide with whom to coordinate about the content

of the Key Messages.

  Group Work

  Module 3b Communication Key Messages CC-Context Specific Detail

  

Misconcepti

ons? What

do we want

them to change? Medium to disseminate Coordinated Actors a. ….. _{b. …..}

  c. …..

  Group Work (continued)

Resources and other ideas

  Many ideas can be The “How to” guide from developed from the the RCCC, also accessible in

  IFRC this module communication guide for DRR

  Module 3b Communication aus;Zl;wify gw,f !

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