Using Data to Change People’s Minds on Climate Change
with Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
The Climate Change Coalition of Door County and the Citizens' Climate Lobby Wisconsin are co-hosting Katharine Hayhoe, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy for a virtual presentation.
Climate change is scary. The more we know, the more worried we get. So our instinct, when people don’t agree with us on the urgency of action, is to overwhelm them with even more scary data: and there’s no shortage of that, from the melting ice sheets of Greenland to the super-charged hurricanes of the Caribbean. But that’s not the way our brains work: when confronted with fear and negative messaging, we freeze. If we don’t agree with it, we reject it.
When we take this approach, we’re unknowingly reinforcing the stalemate we find ourselves in, rather than breaking free of it. So how do we break this vicious cycle? By sharing the right kind of data: data that connects directly with the values people already have, and data that promotes a positive message with tangible, practical solutions.
The New York Times has described Katharine Hayhoe as one of the nation's most effective communicators on the threat of climate change and the need for action. An atmospheric scientist, she has devoted her research to understanding how climate change will impact people and the places they live. In addition to discussing recent events and the immediate threats of climate change, she will explore future scenarios and the actions and strategies needed to effect change. While her research has helped to enhance climate change policy at local and regional levels, she will also discuss the importance of communication as a tool and look at constructive ways we can all play a role in breaking down barriers to save the future.
Dr. Hayhoe holds a B.Sc. in physics and astronomy from the University of Toronto and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in atmospheric science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy earlier this year, she was co-director of the Climate Center at Texas Tech and continues to hold an academic appointment at the university. In 2019, she was named to Foreign Policy's list of 100 Global Thinkers for the second time and received the United Nations Environment Programme's flagship award, Champion of the Earth in the category of Science and Innovation. Last year, the World Evangelical Alliance named her its climate ambassador. She is an Oxfam Sister of the Planet, chairs the Earth Science Women's Network Advisory Council and serves on the advisory board for the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.
The presentation begins at 10:45am with Katharine Hayhoe speaking at 11:00am. To register please click the registration button above. Registration is required to receive the Zoom meeting link. This program is free and open to the public.
Co-hosted by:
This program is a part of the Climate Change Coalition of Door County's 2021: A Season of Action Speaker Series. Please visit the Upcoming Events page to learn more about the Season of Action’s virtual programs and in person events.