Important: Climate Communication presentation TOMORROW

CLIMATE SHIFT:

CLEAR VISION FOR THE NEXT DECADE OF PUBLIC DEBATE



Matthew C. Nisbet, Ph.D.


Thursday April 7
11:30 am to 1pm
WARD 302



For more than 20 years, environmentalists, scientists and philanthropists have worked together to mobilize action in the United States on climate change and to implement policies that address the undeniable, human causes of the problem. For the better part of the last decade, this alliance focused on passing cap and trade legislation – a policy goal that defined virtually every aspect of strategy from philanthropic investments to communication initiatives.



The effort to enact cap and trade legislation may have been the best-financed political cause in U.S. history, yet the bill’s failure in 2010 has left climate advocates without a clear agenda for moving forward. With major policy action stalled, some environmental leaders and scientists have called for new alliances and approaches to communication. Several groups have launched campaigns against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Koch Industries, blaming conservatives and their industry patrons for political inaction.



However, contrary to prevailing assumptions, as this report details, the era of being out-coordinated, out-spent, out-lobbied and out-communicated by conservative and industry opponents on climate change is over. The era of false balance in news coverage of climate science has come to an end. In comparison to other factors, the impact of conservative media and commentators on wider public opinion remains limited.



But major questions remain: What went wrong in the effort to pass cap and trade legislation? What lessons should be learned? And where should the longstanding alliance of environmentalists, scientists and philanthropists go from here? As leaders and groups consider next steps in the policy debate over climate change, this report examines several dimensions that remain at the center of discussion.



The comprehensive study is the first to systematically analyze the financial resources, strategies, communication activities and impacts of those advocating for action on climate change and to draw comparisons to those opposing action among conservative groups and industry.