Environmental educators face a formidable challenge when they approach climate change due to the complexity of the science and of the political and cultural contexts in which people live. There is a clear consensus among climate scientists that climate change is already occurring as a result of human activities, but high levels of climate change awareness and growing levels of concern have not translated into meaningful action. Communicating Climate Change provides environmental educators with an understanding of how their audiences engage with climate change information as well as with concrete, empirically tested communication tools they can use to enhance their climate change program.
Starting with the basics of climate science and climate change public opinion, Armstrong, Krasny, and Schuldt synthesize research from environmental psychology and climate change communication, weaving in examples of environmental education applications throughout this practical book. Each chapter covers a separate topic, from how environmental psychology explains the complex ways in which people interact with climate change information to communication strategies with a focus on framing, metaphors, and messengers. This broad set of topics will aid educators in formulating program language for their classrooms at all levels. Communicating Climate Change uses fictional vignettes of climate change education programs and true stories from climate change educators working in the field to illustrate the possibilities of applying research to practice. Armstrong et al, ably demonstrate that environmental education is an important player in fostering positive climate change dialogue and subsequent climate change action.
Thanks to generous funding from Cornell University, the ebook editions of this book are available as Open Access from Cornell Open (cornellpress.cornell.edu/cornell-open) and other Open Access repositories.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part 1: Background
1. Climate Change Science: The Facts
2. Climate Change Attitudes and Knowledge
3. Climate Change Education Outcomes
4. Climate Change Education Vignettes
Part 1 Recap
Part 2: The Psychology of Climate Change
5. Identity
6. Psychological Distance
7. Other Psychological Theories
Part 2 Recap
Part 3: Communication
8. Framing Climate Change
9. Using Metaphor and Analogy in Climate ChangeCommunication
10. Climate Change Messengers: Establishing Trust
Part 3 Recap
Part 4: Stories from the Field
11. Climate Change Education at the Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, California
12. Climate Change Literacy, Action, and Positive Youth Development in Kentucky
13. Building Soil to Capture Carbon in a School Garden in New Mexico
14. Psychological Resilience in Denver, Colorado
Part 4 Recap
Closing Thoughts
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the Author :
Anne K. Armstrong is a PhD Student in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. Marianne E. Krasny is Professor in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. Jonathon P. Schuldt is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Cornell University.
Review :
The intertwined fields of climate change and education are both expertly addressed in this timely, well-organized book. Not shying away from the inherent complexity of teaching to promote meaningful action in response to global climate challenges, this resource offers practical examples supported by conceptually rich perspectives.... This resource offers rich insights to both formal and informal environmental educators and to students studying climate change in the advanced secondary and higher education contexts.
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