As the impacts of the climate crisis rise, we are also seeing a rise in eco-anxiety. Although experiencing such emotions may inspire some to act, for many the result is doomism, and a resulting inability to act. Therefore, the current Climate Hope event aims to explore the vital role of effective communication in fostering hope and driving positive action in the context of climate change. The rise in eco-anxiety and doomism reflects a disconnect between understanding the climate crisis and acting to affect positive change. Communication plays a vital role in resolving this disconnect, aiming to understand the ways in which people think and talk about the problem, and to develop ways to promote beneficial framings and narratives that can contribute to positive, collective change.
We see that academics across a range of disciplines are increasingly interested in studying climate literacy, effective climate communication, and positive coping mechanisms. However, for research to be truly impactful, it must be applied to real-life issues. This can be difficult for a simple reason – academics do not always talk to people outside the academic world, even though they are probably working on similar questions. Therefore, the current event aims to bring together scholars, communication professionals, activists, artists and change-makers in a two-day conference on the communication of climate hope. At UBC we will also host a free hybrid Pre-Conference Institute on August 14. This day-long interactive institute on climate communication and creativity through music and art will feature a number of guest speakers with expertise in climate communications from across Canada.
Invited Speakers: University of British Columbia
- Teenie Matlock, Department of Cognitive & Information Sciences, University of California Merced, USA
- Naoko Ellis and Derek Gladwin, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering and Department of Language & Literacy Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Ashley Fairbanks, Creative Director, 100% Campaign, Minnesota, USA
Invited Speakers: Tilburg University
- Noelle Aarts, Institute for Science in Society, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Reyer Gerlagh, School of Economics, Tilburg University, The Netherlands
- Jenny Pickerill, Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
