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Framing the Climate Change Debate: The Role of Science

Key Points in the Science of Climate change:

•    Explain how science works
•    Communicate the science of climate change clearly
•    Report observations – clearly and objectively
•    Analyse climate data – clearly and objectively
•    Model potential futures
•    Explain potential threats
•    Offer potential solutions
•    Think the unthinkable
•    Communicate ethical and moral issues.

Research has found:

They [society] don’t know very much and they are embarrassed about this. Generally people accept human influence on the climate system and that this is a problem. Similarly, large numbers of people think something needs to be done about this. These figures are quite stable But people don’t prioritise climate change measures against the economy and other pressing issues. In addition there is often strong resistance to specific measures such as wind farms or nuclear power. The level of general support for tackling climate change is similar to or greater than for other controversial issues where political action has been taken such as the Montreal Protocol, the invasion of Iraq, or rescuing the banks. However, there has been a significant decline in conviction in recent years, and a strong increase in political partisanship in US.

The plan to re-frame discussion:

•    Avoid scientific terminology

•    Use the familiar (e.g. refer to Fahrenheit not Centigrade in USA or the climate risks are under-emphasised)
•    Focus on risk not uncertainty
•    Disallow tribalism; avoid the language of ‘deniers’ and ‘warmists’; focus on the degree of agreement (since it is everyone’s democratic right to agree or disagree)
•    Re-appropriate scepticism for scientists (who by definition are sceptical)
•    Translate abstract climate science into social representations of common sense
•    Provide some safe space (of hope); don’t do bad news stories
•    Use metaphors and stories and images to communicate ideas
•    Be honest
•    Connect to deeper shared values such as social responsibility and fairness
•    Recognize the distinction between dogma (closed) and scepticism (open)
•    Challenge the confirmation bias (i.e. data fitting the scientist’s hypothesis); and exercise self-vigilance.

STFU, Conservatives: To clarify, the Tea Party audience applauding the prospect of letting poor people die is just one of many things wrong...

coeus:

stfuconservatives:

-Joe

To clarify, I’m pretty sure they were applauding at the idea of freedom and personal responsibility, as opposed to the idea of letting poor people die.

To further clarify, I’m pretty sure the context of the question did not involve “poor people”…

Lies of the Debate: St. Raygun Edition

I have about an hour before my Sexual Psych class starts so here are your GOP lie list for the debate:

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann said that the new “Obamacare” health care law was a key factor in the economy and was forcing many business owners to eliminate jobs. “Obamacare is killing jobs. We know that from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office,” she said.

We checked that claim when she said in June that the CBO had said the health care law “will kill 800,000 jobs.”

False!

Texas Gov. Rick Perry spoke of his frustration with the federal government failing to approve a request from Texas for health care flexibility. He was likely referring to a request for a Medicaid waiver. When he claimed in December it had languished for two years.

I wonder if Texans smell like bacon when they burn. This was rated Pants on Fire. Still is.

Mitt Romney said his health care bill affected 8 percent of Massachusetts residents. When he made a previous comparison earlier this week that said Obama’s affected 100 percent.

Pants on fire… still.

Perry said he stood by his claim that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. “That is what it is,” he said.

Maybe if you keep repeating that lie it will become true?

When Perry was criticized for issuing an executive order for an HPV vaccination, he responded by saying it included “an opt-out.” PolitiFact Texas checked a similar claim when he said it wasn’t mandatory.

Also still a lie.

Perry repeated a claim he has made questioning whether there is scientific consensus on climate change.

Republicans like Rick Perry make me believe that Christians lie constantly.

This is all they have up for the moment, but they will be posting more soon.

Fred Karger To File FEC Complaint Against Fox News For Excluding Him From Iowa Debate

reallyfoxnews:

progressivefriends:

“Excluding him after he met the debate’s requirements resulted in “corporate in-kind donations to those eight participants,” Karger told The Daily Caller. “Which, of course, is millions and millions of dollars in air time, and then all of the publicity that comes as a result of it.”  More here.

Interesting…

Awesome.

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