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Karen RaucherStratus Consulting Inc.Boulder, CO
CALIFORNIA-NEVADA SECTION AWWAANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE 2013OCTOBER 1, 2013
Acknowledgements The Water Research Foundation for funding Project 4381:
Effective Communication about Climate Change to Water Utility Stakeholders
Linda Reekie: WaterRF Project Manger
The Project PAC: Mark Knudson, Rea Wilson, Rob Greenwood, and Mitch Basefsky
The Project Team: Mark Millan, Data Instincts; Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale; Rich Atwater, Southern California Water Committee; Michael Dennis and Joseph Garrett, Knowledge Networks; Steve Conrad, Simon Fraser University, Institute for Climate Solutions; Josh Foster, Oregon State University; Joy Barrett, RCAP; and Lisa Ragain, Aqua Vitae
Numerous colleagues at Stratus Consulting
And Our Great Group of Participating Utilities
Overall Project Goal To develop a pragmatic tool that utilities can use to
build support for climate-related actions with stakeholders
Issues with Stage 2 and other New Regulations
Is the cure worse than the disease?
Will this make it worse by creating a different set of DBPs?
Nitrosamines
Need Two Types of CommunicationCritical conversation
Reasoned discourse
Critical Conversationsare Always High Risk Conversations
Advanced Risk Communication/ Message Mapping Templates Dr. Vincent Covello is the founder and director of the
Center for Risk Communication
Risk Assessment Methods; Approaches for Assessing Health and Environmental Risks (Plenum Publishing Corporation, 1993)
Effective Risk Communication: The Role and Responsibility of Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations (Plenum Publishing Corporation, 1989)
Stress Changes the Science Based Rules for Communication
Risk Communication Research
Threats produce:
Stress
Emotion
Mental noise
Wicked Problems Difficult to define – mean something different to
different sub-groups
Both the problem and the solution can have different goals for different groups
Complex scientific components
No easy solution
No yes/no solution
Can’t learn from trial and error
Require behavior change
We Are Good Decision Makers! Basic premise of economic theory
Basic premise of human nature
We all make the best possible decisions, based on the best available scientific knowledge, if not all the time, at least for important decisions
If We Were Making Good Decisions We Would Use Statistics and probability
The scientific method
Basic science literacy
A global sense of time and place
Feedback
We Make Safe Decisions Quickly…
Mental Models
How do you see “ice” in your mental modelvcareyux.wordpress.com
Frames
Trusted Sources
Threats to that which we value (including belonging to the group) produces
Stress
Emotion
Mental noise
Successful Communication in Stressful Situations Requires
Anticipation
Preparation
Practice
Critical Conversations Require Pre-developed Responses
Engage stakeholders in a manner that:
Replaces emotional reaction with an opportunity for reasoned discourse
When Climate Change is a Critical Conversation
I am not convinced that climate change
is real
We both want to ensure that we can provide
our customers with safe, adequate supplies
of water.
I am convinced, based on the scientific consensus gathered by the International Panel on
Climate Change, that the climate is changing and it is
human caused.
I would like to share the facts I have and also get sources for your facts so that we can both learn about this important
issue.
Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have actually
measured the number of heat-trapping molecules in our atmosphere and compared them with tree ring and ice core samples to
determine that there are many more of these molecules today than at any time in the last
650,000 years.
I have several other sources for this
information that I would be happy to share with
you. Could you now share your sources with me?
Climate Change is Happening and the Consequences to Water Utilities Are
Enormous(Boulder last weekend)
What Do Americans Think about the Climate Change –Community Water Nexus?
Survey Methodology Three types of questions
Attitudes
Beliefs
Actions
Three subject areas
Community water
Climate change [Yale Project on climate change communication (Leiserowitz)]
The impact of climate change on community water
How much do you trust your water utility to do the following things:
How much do you trust or distrust the following as a source of information about climate change impacts for your local water system?
How concerned are you that future extreme weather events will negatively impact your community water provider’s ability to provide safe, healthy drinking water?
A large majority of Americans support their water provider planning for the future (10–40 years).
When planning for the future, how much attention do you think your water utility should give to the following issues?
The impact of climate change on extreme events will make it more difficult for water utilities to meet community water needs during and immediately after extreme weather events.
My water utility has a plan, has taken the necessary actions, and is adequately prepared for extreme weather.
Assuming the money is needed, and would be spent wisely and efficiently, would you be willing to pay extra each month to ensure that your community has access to abundant, safe water for the next 10–40 years?
Assuming the money is needed, and would be spent wisely and efficiently, I am willing to pay more to ensure that my water utility is prepared for future extreme weather events.
Climate change will have a significant impact on the water cycle.
The impact of climate change on the water cycle will make it more difficult for water utilities to meet community water needs in the next 10–40 years.
How large of a leadership role should your community water utility play in helping your community prepare for the impacts of climate change?
Very Few Regional Differences
How concerned are you that future extreme weather events will negatively impact your community water provider’s ability to provide safe, healthy drinking water?
Climate change will have a significant impact on extreme weather events, causing changes in the severity of droughts, hurricanes, rainstorms, and heat waves.
5 Americas for “Community Water and Climate Change”
20%
Advocates
44%
Supporters
15%
Closed
wallets
13%
Skeptical
supporter
8%
Pessimist
Advocate (20%)One that Argues for a Cause Advocates are strong CC believers, and strong
supporters for utilities to take action today, even if it costs money
98% of Advocates believe that global warming is caused by human activities
98% of Advocates believe that water agencies need to pay a great deal of attention (71%) or some attention (27%) to CC in planning
88% of Advocates are willing to pay more now
Supporter (44%)A Backer or Strong Follower Supporters hold many of the same views as Advocates
– they believe in climate change and in supporting their local water agency – just a little less adamantly
Greater splint about the cause of climate change
Mostly by human activities (57%)
Mostly by natural changes in the environment (39%)
86% of Supporters believe that water agencies need to pay a great deal of attention (36%) or some attention (50%) to CC in planning
81 % of Supporters are willing to pay more now
Closed Wallets (15%)One Who is Not Willing to Pay This group has a common unwillingness to pay more
93% of this group is not willing to pay extra
19%, My utility has enough
10%, My utility needs to do more with less
19%, I should not have to pay
49%, I do not have enough money
Just over half, 53%, think citizens themselves are doing the right amount to address global warming, with only 11% thinking citizens should do less
Closed Wallets (15%)One Who is Not Willing to Pay (cont.)
Closed Wallets (15%)One Who is Not Willing to Pay (cont.) Yet, this is also the group most likely to purchase
bottled water as their primary source of drinking water
Skeptical Supporter (13%) A Proponent Who is Unsure Why They Are So Supportive 75% of this group is uncertain about climate change
(43%) do not know if climate change is happening
19% are somewhat sure climate change is not happening
13% who are very sure it is not happening
But no one that is extremely sure it is not happening
71% of this group still thinks utilities should pay attention a little (31%) or some (40%) attention to climate change in planning for the future
This group is very willing to pay more to ensure the utility is prepared for future extreme weather events (statistically similar to Advocates)
Pessimist (8%)One with a Tendency to Stress the Negative or Unfavorable or to Take the Gloomiest Possible View
86% of this group does not believe climate change is real
82% of this group feels that their water utility should not pay much attention (51%) or only a little attention (31%) to climate change when planning for the future
99% of this group thinks global warming should be a low priority for the President and Congress and 69% thinks citizens themselves should be doing much less (47%) or less (22%)
69% of this segment believes climate change is caused not by humans or nature but by other
41% are willing to pay up to $3 more per month to ensure there is abundant safe water in the future
This is the group most likely to drink water directly from the tap (55%)
31% does not think there is much a water provider can do to protect the local water supply from extreme weather
Pessimist (8%)One with a Tendency to Stress the Negative or Unfavorable or to Take the Gloomiest Possible View (cont.)
Composition of 6 Americas
Message Testing Water cycle
Extreme events
Separation
No additional information
Change in Support for Water Utility Climate Change Actions
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Water cycle Extreme Event Separate Control
Totals
Totals Increase: Strongly & Somewhat
Totals Decrease:Strongly & Somewhat
Totals Net Change
Totals Neither
Advocates
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Water cycle Extreme Event Separate
Advocates
Advocates Increase: Strongly & Somewhat
Advocates Decrease:Strongly & Somewhat
Advocates Net Change
Advocates Neither
Supporters
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Water cycle Extreme Event Separate
Supporters
Supporters Increase: Strongly & Somewhat
Supporters Decrease:Strongly & Somewhat
Supporters Net Change
Supporters Neither
Skeptical Supporter
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Water cycle Extreme Event Separate
Skeptical Supporter
Skeptical Supporter Increase: Strongly & Somewhat
Skeptical Supporter Decrease:Strongly & Somewhat
Skeptical Supporter Net Change
Closed Wallets
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Water cycle Extreme Event Separate
Closed Wallets
Closed Wallets Increase: Strongly & Somewhat
Closed Wallets Neither
Closed Wallets Decrease:Strongly & Somewhat
Closed Wallets Net Change
Pessimist
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Water cycle Extreme Event Separate
Pessimst
Pessimst Increase: Strongly & Somewhat
Pessimst Neither
Pessimst Decrease:Strongly & Somewhat
Pessimst Net Change
Community Water and Climate Change Information Series Short PowerPoint series…
Designed to meet need for
Internal communication
Governing Board
Website, customers, anyone
Public Council on Drinking Water Research
Menu Introduction
Part 1: Is it weird weather, climate variability, or climate change?
Part 2: Changes to the water cycle matter to water utilities
Part 3: What are – and will be – the impacts on water utilities?
Part 4: Extreme weather events are changing
Part 5: What can I do?
Your feedback is important! Take the Survey.
Conclusion What do you see as most useful?
Are there ways you think we could make anything more useful?
In terms of writing up the guidance – any focus?
What do you think? Do you think that global warming is happening?