Non-persuasive communication as a strategy to deliver climate information

The Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub (MCCCRH) is Australia’s leading research centre dedicated to improving public understanding of climate change. 

Utilising what is known as ‘non-persuasive communication,’ MCCCRH delivers simple, short, factual climate messages over longer-time frames, that are repeated often. The approach is large scale, evidence-based and non-partisan and is delivering the information that Australians are seeking to actively bridge deep divisions on climate change.

In this paper we present non-persuasive communication in action that is done by translating climate science into simple and engaging formats for two of MCCCRH’s major programs:

• ‘Climate Communicators’, which is an innovative national climate education program that produces simple, long-term climate graphics for Australian television weather presenters and currently broadcasts in every state of Australia with more than 500+ broadcasts to date. It broadcasts to metropolitan and rural television audiences and harnesses the existing science communication capacity of weather presenters.

 

• ‘Changing Climates’, which is a climate column in collaboration with Australia’s largest media organisation News Corp Australia that increases the visibility of climate science and scientists and has published 2000+ print and digital columns across 58 mastheads. 

Most up to date and accurate climate science and data is brokered from the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO and Monash University scientists. Easy-to-process data visualisations are continuously researched with leading science communications specialists to ensure clarity and shared with partners from the most visible and trusted forms of media including television weather presenters and community newspapers. The effectiveness of these strategies is routinely evaluated, ensuring their design and delivery are specifically tailored for maximum impact. 

 

Corresponding/presenting author: David Hoffmann, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; david.hoffmann@monash.edu