Creative (Climate) Communications

Creative (Climate) Communications: Productive Pathways for Science, Policy and Society
by Maxwell Boykoff

Cambridge University Press, 2019

Conversations about climate change at the science-policy interface and in our lives have been stuck for some time. This handbook integrates lessons from the social sciences and humanities to more effectively make connections through issues, people, and things that everyday citizens care about. Readers will come away with an enhanced understanding that there is no 'silver bullet' to communications about climate change; instead, a 'silver buckshot' approach is needed, where strategies effectively reach different audiences in different contexts. This tactic can then significantly improve efforts that seek meaningful, substantive, and sustained responses to contemporary climate challenges. It can also help to effectively recapture a common or middle ground on climate change in the public arena. Readers will come away with ideas on how to harness creativity to better understand what kinds of communications work where, when, why, and under what conditions in the twenty-first century. Read more ...

“When it comes to science communication, no topic is more fraught with politics and pitfalls than climate change. Max Boykoff deftly navigates the minefield of climate communication by providing a range of informed perspectives and insights into how to communicate the science and its implications. Creative (Climate) Communications is a great resource for practitioners and novices alike.”
Michael E. Mann, Distinguished Professor, Penn State University and co-author of The Madhouse Effect

“The world failure to act on climate change is not primarily the result of a failure to communicate. But ineffective communication does make it easier for denial and disinformation to reign. This important book helps us to understand what works and what doesn’t work in climate communication, and why. A must-read for anyone involved in this issue.”
Naomi Oreskes, Harvard University

“I appreciate the intent of this book: to make “a creative shift from ‘turning on each other’ to ‘turning to each other’ for support and collaboration.” Nothing short of that will be needed to get through the climate crisis. This is a book that makes real and practical the “cultural turn” in climate communications and asks us to tap our oldest and most unique human capacities to do so: our emotions and our imagination to connect with each other and make sense of the transformative journey we have embarked upon. In doing so, it implores us to be authentic, ambitious, accurate, imaginative and bold in climate communications and this book is just that. A great accomplishment!”
Susanne Moser, independent scholar and consultant

“Effective climate communication is an emerging area that has lacked an authoritative text – until now! This innovative, accessible book unites cutting-edge theory with practice. It synthesizes the peer-reviewed literature, existing approaches to effective climate communication, and representations of climate change in the media. If you’re looking to be informed by the latest theory, research, and practice in climate engagement and outreach, this is a must-read.”
Katharine Hayhoe, Texas Tech University

“With this book Boykoff splendidly articulates the creative thinking and approaches necessary to find common ground and move forward in our engagement with climate change. In an exemplary and engaging style of writing, Boykoff moves with elegant ease and superb scholarly insight through a wealth of research, comment and opinion to interrogate the growing body of knowledge on the successes, failures and challenges of climate change communication. And he proceeds – with an
admirable command of contemporary, historical and philosophical context – to offer clear and optimistic guidance on promising pathways to effective engagement on climate change.”
Anders Hansen, University of Leicester