Americans and Climate Change Closing the Gap Between Science and Action A Synthesis of Insights and Recommendations from the 2005 Yale F&ES Conference on Climate Change Daniel R. Abbasi With a Foreword by James Gustave Speth yale school of forestry & environmental studies Americans and Climate Change Daniel R. Abbasi Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies “The Conference brought together the best and the brightest from key sectors to listen, learn and work together. Most importantly, it gave us an opportunity to come up with clear and specic action for taking on one of the biggest challenges of our time.” james e. rogers, chairman and ceo, cinergy corp. “A major recommendation to emerge from the breakthrough dialogue described here is that global warming must now be viewed fundamentally as a moral and spiritual issue. This will change the nature of the debate, and draw in believers of all faiths, particularly evangelical Christians, who have hereto- fore regarded it as an “environmental” matter only. The 86 leaders who recently signed the “Evangelical Climate Initiative” agree with this basic assumption. That some religious leaders disagree only makes this report more signicant. If one reads and studies these pages, the inescapable conclusion is that we must all come together as Americans to act in responsible ways to solve this crisis.” reverend richard cizik, vice president of government affairs, national association of evangelicals “This conference, unlike most, was able to combine both the clarication of a macro challenge and the key action steps needed to help resolve that challenge with its complex overlay of political, scientic, and attitudinal dimensions. One thing stands out: the stakes on climate change are simply too high for us to continue approaching it as a partisan issue. Republicans and Democrats need to get together on this as Americans above all. Read this insightful report and let’s get started.” richard b. wirthlin, chief strategist to president ronald reagan; founder, wirthlin worldwide “The world desperately needs to know what we scientists are learning from our research endeavors. We can no longer afford to talk principally to each other, in a language understandable only to us. This illuminating report arose from a path-breaking conference and outlines concrete steps that will help scientists better explain the real-life implications of our research on climate change to decision-makers and the public so that needed action can be taken — and not a moment too soon.” dr. jane lubchenco, valley professor of marine biology and distinguished professor of zoology, oregon state university; former president, american association for the advancement of science “This report makes clear that the science is now in: global warming is for real. Climate change cannot be understood or responsibly dealt with if either science or environmental concerns are politicized.” congressman james a. leach (r-ia), u.s. house of representatives “Addressing the global threat of climate change requires more than just scientic consensus. This conference allowed the time and resources for exactly the type of meeting of industry, government, and civil society leaders that is needed if we are to move past talking about this growing threat, and start taking action. Quite frankly, the future of our economy and our way of life depend on it.” mindy s. lubber, president, ceres “This important contribution reects a unique coalition-building effort. What emerged was a wide recognition of the opportunities that would result for the United States and the world if only our government would lead and recognize the reality of global climate change.” timothy e. wirth, president, united nations foundation and better world fund, former u.s. senator (d-co) “A fresh approach to the complex and often-controversial issue of global climate change — a collabora- tive effort, united by a simple, straightforward goal, namely to get things done. Daniel Abbasi does a skillful job of weaving together divergent views — those of science, business, government, and the media — so that a framework for change begins to take shape. A wonderfully put together book.” eileen claussen, president, pew center on global climate change Americans and Climate Change Closing the Gap Between Science and Action www.yale.edu/environment/publications Americans and Climate Change Closing the Gap Between Science and Action A Synthesis of Insights and Recommendations from the 2005 Yale F&ES Conference on Climate Change Daniel R. Abbasi With a Foreword by James Gustave Speth yale school of forestry & environmental studies publication series Title Americans and Climate Change: Closing the Gap between Science and Action Volume author Daniel R. Abbasi Book design Peter W. Johnson and Maura Gianakos, YaleRIS Cover design Maura Gianakos, YaleRIS Cover image The image on the cover is a snapshot from a climate simulation model that runs from 1920-2080. The model is being run by harnessing desktop computers around the world at climateprediction.net, a collaborative project of the University of Oxford, the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and others. Used with permission. To participate in the model using your desktop computer, go to: www.climateprediction.net Page layout Dorothy Scott, North Branford, CT Print on demand Yale Reprographics and Imaging Services (RIS) Publication series Jane Coppock editor Paper Mohawk Creme 30% recycled To obtain copies This book is available as a free downloadable pdf at www.yale.edu/environment/publications. Hard copies may be ordered at the same website. The opinions, findings, and interpretations of research contained in this volume are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect positions of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies or participants in the conference described in this volume. Permission is granted to reproduce material in this volume without prior written consent so long as proper attribution is made. To learn more about how you can participate in implementation of the full set of 39 recommendations, please visit: http://environment.yale.edu/climate. ISBN 0-9707882-4-X @ 2006 Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are con- fronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and dejected with a lost opportunity. The ‘tide in the affairs of men’ does not remain at the flood; it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is deaf to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous civilizations are writ- ten the pathetic words: ‘Too late ’” — Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [...]... leaders, and world-class academics on the role of science in social change theory and practice, human psychology and climate change, and the state of climate change science The event did not presuppose that the science of climate change or any other issue is monolithic or infallible While we do believe that key elements of the scientific consensus on climate change have not been effectively communicated and. .. the gap between climate science and climate policy and action remains huge What explains this gap? Is climate change merely one instance of a larger problem, namely, the expanding gulf between the increasingly scientific and technical content of public policy issues on the one hand, and the declining public understanding of science and technology on the other? Good environmental science and forecasting... talented 3 4 americans and climate change alumni/ae into the implementation effort, and I’m grateful to her and to them Fred Strebeigh, a colleague at Yale, generously read this report and offered valuable comments, as did Dave DeFusco, Bill Ellis, Kate Hamilton and Gus Speth Many thanks are due to Jane Coppock, Assistant Dean and Editor of the Yale F&ES Publication Series, and to Dorothy Scott and Eve... items and in monitoring progress toward fulfilling the action items outlined on our website (http://environment.yale.edu /climate) Clearly, many individuals and institutions will need to step forward and assume leadership roles in 7 8 americans and climate change making these initiatives happen, either by funding or leading their implementation Climate change is one of the great challenges of our time, and, ... Religious communities, in 9 10 americans and climate change particular, are increasingly adopting the climate change issue in fulfillment of their stewardship values Yet a science-to-values repositioning, whether religious or secular, carries risks of its own that need to be understood and managed Packaging Climate Change as an Energy Issue Frustrated by the inability of climate change to break through as... ten of the most prominent recommendations to emerge 11 12 americans and climate change Recommendation #1: Create a new “bridging institution” to actively seek out key business, religious, political, and civic leaders and the media and deliver to them independent, reliable and credible scientific information about climate change (including natural and economic sciences) Recommendation #7: Educate the gatekeepers... decisions and events, how can we best address the barriers that lie between good science and effective policy and action? On October 6-8, 2005, the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies brought a group of 110 leading thinkers and actors together in * David A King, Climate Change Science: Adapt, Mitigate or Ignore,” Science, Vol 303, 9 January 2004: 176-77 5 6 americans and climate change Aspen,... education campaign on climate change science and its implications This multifaceted campaign would leverage the latest social science findings concerning attitude formation and change on climate change, and would use all available media in an effort to disseminate rigorously accurate information, and to counter disinformation in real time Recommendation #26: Undertake systematic and rigorous projects... advertising, documentary, feature film) on civic engagement, public executive summary opinion and persuasive outcomes Use these to inform new creative work on multi-media climate change communications Recommendation #28: Improve K-12 students’ understanding of climate change by promoting it as a standards-based content area within science curricula and incorporating it into other disciplinary curricula and teacher... actions that businesses can and should take on climate change Recommendation #36: Create a broad-based Climate Action Leadership Council of 10-12 recognizable and senior eminent leaders from all key national sectors and constituencies to serve as an integrating mechanism for developing and delivering a cohesive message to society about the seriousness of climate change and the imperative of taking . science in social change theory and practice, human psychology and climate change, and the state of climate change science. The event did not presuppose that the science of climate change or any. and the media — so that a framework for change begins to take shape. A wonderfully put together book.” eileen claussen, president, pew center on global climate change Americans and Climate Change Closing. Americans and Climate Change Closing the Gap Between Science and Action A Synthesis of Insights and Recommendations from the 2005 Yale F&ES Conference on Climate Change Daniel