Public Resource
Climate Questions Unveiled: What the Public Really Wants to Know
Aaron Krol, MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative. Climate Access
Climate communicators have better information than ever before on what the public knows about climate change. Here are some trends that can help all climate communicators reach people where they are, with information and perspectives that will help on the road to a decarbonized society. Climate solutions are looming larger in people’s lives: there are far more questions about solar panels and tree-planting than about hurricanes and droughts. Change is worrying—even when it’s positive change: Most questions people have about these solutions are cautious, if not outright skeptical. People want to go deeper on the science (and it’s not about persuasion). Curiosity is an opportunity: that pivot—from responding to people’s curiosity, to gently reminding them that climate change is an urgent challenge—is possible with almost every climate question.