Effective Communication

Becoming an effective communicator around climate change requires a unique mindset. The scope is global, the impacts and solutions are complex, the topic is scary, and the timeline is measured in decades. Breakthroughs in cognitive science and psychology over the past 75 years show that those attributes make it particularly difficult for people to grasp the threat - a threat that scientists and others see clearly.

All of these factors, and more, mean that moving your audience in the direction you want will likely mean stepping out of your comfort zone. Whether talking about the health impacts of climate change or about ways to address the challenge, effective communication here requires that you start by being very clear about who your audience is and what you hope they take away from the information you will present.

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For many health professionals, one of the biggest challenges is to understand that heavy reliance on data and facts as the primary avenue for swaying audiences is often ineffective. A more impactful approach weaves in broad concepts and, most importantly, stories that illuminate your ideas - including, when possible, personal experience.  This foundational idea is true for most situations -whether delivering a speech, writing an op-ed, being interviewed by media, providing testimony, or talking with patients. Getting the mix right also requires careful consideration of the audience.

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Health professionals have been talking about climate change, clean energy and related topics for more than a decade. Here are some of the best resources you can tap on what they have learned:

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• Health Care Without Harm

• Yale Program on Climate Communication

• GMU Center for Climate Change Communication

• WHO Climate Communication Toolkit for Health Professionals