Having a Climate Conversation
Know Your Conversation Partner or Audience
We all have different values and life experiences. This can make conversations about climate change challenging, but can also provide pathways to finding common ground. Take the time to understand who you are talking to and what might help them consider the realities of climate change. Giving them time and respect can make all the difference.
Listen and Stay Positive
Listen, engage, and use common ground to refocus the conversation on positive and productive topics. Diving deep into a doom filled rant, while sometimes a needed outlet amongst understanding friends, may not give you the best chance of convincing your audience to participate in positive change.
Stick to the Science
When you are passionate about a topic, it is easy to slip into moral arguments and hyperbole. However, sticking to facts and data that experts have extensively researched can serve as a very strong backbone to your conversation. Science can be very persuasive when used in combination with a personal connection. It can also be useful in debunking misinformation.
Useful resources if you are looking to learn more: https://climatecommunication.yale.edu, https://yaleclimateconnections.org, & The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change as a Gateway Belief: Experimental Evidence
Learn from a Climate Conversation Expert
In this TED talk, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, of Texas Tech University discusses how she talks to others about climate change and reasons for being optimistic about our planet’s future.