Communication on climate change in the Netherlands

1. Communication on climate change in the Netherlands Greening of Industry, Cardiff, 2-5 July 2006 Dr. Judith E.M. Klostermann Wageningen University, The Netherlands

2. Contents: • Introduction CCSP programme • CCSP communication strategy • Assessing climate communication • Who are communicating? • Two arena’s • Knowledge levels and needs • Media preferences and processes • Conclusions: with whom and how?

3. 1. Introduction CCSP programme • “There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities” (IPCC, 2001) • ‘Climate Changes Spatial Planning’ (CCSP): • Research relations between climate change and spatial planning • Eg. nature, agriculture, transport, water management • 2004 - 2011, 40 million Euros, 30-40 projects • Goals • strengthen knowledge infrastructure on climate change • investigate possibilities for adaptation and mitigation • to involve as many stakeholders as possible

4. C: General public Education Figure 1: target groups of the CCSP programme B: Lower governments Business A. Scientists National governments NGO’s 2. CCSP communication strategy

5. 3. Assessing climate communication Assessment of climate communication in the Netherlands: • Communication needs of the target groups • Inventory of existing communication activities. • Methods: • Internet scan • Interviews and email questionnaires • Documents and magazines • Two months

6. 4. Who are communicating?

7. Knowledge institutes, ministries, politics, NGO’s Latest scientific results on climate change, including uncertainties Policy measures they may imply: adaptation to climate change, safety, flooding, and energy policy Not with citizens or private companies! Lower governments, citizens, companies, NGO’s and education Implementation of policy measures: wind energy, bioenergy, water projects, agriculture and which sites for building. Not about uncertainties Not with knowledge institutes! 5. Two arena’s

8. Consequences of two arena’s: • nobody discusses the uncertainties of climate change with citizens • This may not be enough for the implementation of local measures • Regional and local governments need to inform themselves on complete story including uncertainties

9. 6. Knowledge: levels and needs • Three knowledge levels: • scientific knowledge • professional knowledge • lay knowledge • Available: sustainable energy, water adaptation • Needs: adaptation (16), climate change as such (14), mitigation (11), other (11)

10. Information needs • Often two or more themes, sometimes four themes (the whole story) • Examples of questions: • How should institutional arrangements change in response to climate change? • What are the latest facts from climate research? • How can farmers adapt to heavy rainfall? • What climate policy is possible for production of electricity?

11. 7. Media preferences and processes • Paper media 23 • Personal contact 19 • Internet 19 • Workshops and conferences 9 • radio/TV 7 • most of the respondents use many different media

12. Information processes

13. 8. Conclusions: with whom and how? • A-circle: Scientific institutions, national governments and NGO’s already strongly involved • Need series of media, including articles and reports with in-depth information • NGO’s sometimes have a problem with the accessibility of scientific information

14. Conclusions II • B-circle: provincial governments, water boards, municipalities and private business: more difficult • Not so interested in scientific facts • Large differences in information levels • Cooperate with national governments and umbrella organizations • Personal contact will be one of the most important ways

15. Conclusions: C-circle • C-circle: general public, education: will be even harder • Large size of the groups and diversity • Cooperate with KNMI, NGO’s and public media • Educational institutions, pupils and students: not enough info