Maps, Climate Change, and Mediated Knowledge: Mass

Media and Uncertain Science

Stephanie Deitrick

School of Geographical Sciences

Arizona State University

Presenter: Rob Edsall

University of Minnesota

November 2009

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Media and Science

• Understanding of science increasingly important as public policy is increasingly effected by science

• Public knowledge often comes through media, not scientific publications or direct involvement in research activities

• Complex, uncertain results are distilled into seemingly certain facts through combination of language, images, graphics and maps– Often avoid explicit inclusion of uncertainty or

contextual information

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Media and Climate Change• Media has played role in climate change dialogue

between science, policy and the public– Emotional images, bleak futures, certain futures

• Influences public action and opinion in mitigation and adaptation

• Public risk perceptions, and awareness, are shaped (to some extent) by this mediated knowledge

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Media and Science

• Most recent, compelling or dramatic discoveries and futures

• New results presented as the new “facts”

• Visual representations create certainty from uncertain science

• Constant conflicting views often results in mistrust of science or scientific findings

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Graphic Communication of Science

• Mediate assessment, validation, and dissemination

• Powerful because they are persuasive:– Absolute (abstract to fixed patterns)– Quickly convey overall impressions– Scalable (view what may be otherwise

unknowable)– Can be combined

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Visual Science

• Graphs

http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/11/20/global_warming_and_climate_change.htm

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Visual Science

• Diagrams

http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/graphs-diagrams-of-global-warming-and-climate.html

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Visual Science

• Pictures

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Visual Science• Maps

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Visual Science

• Montage

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/20/science/earth/20sea.html?scp=7&sq=climate+change+maps&st=nyt

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Media and Science

• Human drama and “stories of interest” catch media attention

• News focus on science if there is a story to tell

• Visual representations provide easy, clear, persuasive methods to communicate complex science

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Media and Maps• Looking to the Future

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FINGERPRINTS: Direct manifestations of a widespread and long-term trend toward warmer global temperatures

           Heat waves and periods of unusually warm weather            Ocean warming, sea-level rise and coastal flooding            Glaciers melting            Arctic and Antarctic warming

HARBINGERS: Events that foreshadow the types of impacts likely to become more frequent and widespread with continued warming.

           Spreading disease            Earlier spring arrival            Plant and animal range shifts and population changes            Coral reef bleaching            Downpours, heavy snowfalls, and flooding            Droughts and fires

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Media and Maps

• Close to home

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Maps and the Media

• Conflicting View and Contradictions

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Maps, Visuals and Media

• Maps in media evocative and persuasive

• Impression that science is certain and exact

• Constant conflicting views often results in mistrust of science or scientific findings

• Increased presence of science in public policy, encourages for effective methods of communicating context, risk and uncertainty

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Thank you.

stephanie.deitrick@asu.edu