Loading the dice : perspectives on climate change communication in Australia 1987-2001

Abstract

For almost 40 years I had the naive view that if we simply obtain more physical understanding of the issue, we could provide "the" answers and responses would be rational. I now see that there is absolutely no guarantee of this. It is ourselves we do not understand. Atmospheric scientist Graeme Pearman, personal communication, February 17, 2009 The broad theme of this "science and society" study is the communication of anthropogenic climate change over the period 1987-2001 in Australia. Adding a novel science communication analysis to existing studies of policy and media presented the opportunity to broaden understanding of how this society engaged with a unique environmental issue. Relying on the public documentary record, supported by interviews, the investigation found and analysed dramatic changes to communication in correlation with changing public policy and evidence of public knowledge during the course of the study period. Against expectation, the changes went from a high level of early good understanding of climate change risk and response to a high level of confusion and conflict by the end of the study period, while the basic science messages remained consistent throughout. A framing lens was developed to study public language in the documentary record. Major social and cultural influences on the framing were identified and analysed, combining insights from other research fields with original evidence from the thesis research. This study thereby contributes some new insights for communication of environmental science, specifically climate change. It also offers a novel case study in Australian science history.