Communication is playing an increasingly important role in how society responds to climate change. High-profile speakers from Austria and abroad will be presenting the latest findings on climate communication at a conference in Salzburg at the end of September 2017. Experts from disciplines such as psychology, sociology, behavioural research, and media studies will be showcasing examples of new approaches to climate communication. The conference is organised by a consortium of organisers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Climate change is a major threat to humanity — yet public interest in it seems to be only sporadic. A scientific conference on 25 and 26 September 2017 in Salzburg will explore why this is the case and what kinds of communication might change it. For the first time in the German-speaking world, experts from academia and practice will come together under the title "K3 — Congress on Climate Change, Communication and Society" to discuss new approaches to climate communication.

The organisers are scientific bodies involved in climate research from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland — Deutsches Klima-Konsortium (DKK), Climate Change Centre Austria (CCCA), and ProClim from the Swiss Academy of Sciences — as well as the science portal klimafakten.de. "Climate change, its causes and consequences — this has until now been primarily a topic for the natural sciences," explained CCCA board member Herbert Formayer. "The most important questions in the natural sciences have largely been answered — now it's all about societal debates and political decisions, and that's where the social sciences are increasingly needed."

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At the two-day conference at the new Unipark Nonntal of the University of Salzburg, high-profile speakers from Austria and abroad will give an overview of the international state of research on climate communication. "Donald Trump's election campaign in the US or the campaign for Brexit showed that facts simply don't reach many people. When it comes to global warming too, as we can see from climate change deniers, traditional forms of science communication are hitting their limits," said Urs Neu from ProClim. "The conference will draw on insights from psychology, for example, to shed light on why that is." New forms of climate communication will also be presented, including an exploration of the role that art and culture can play.

A programme advisory board made up of renowned representatives from academia and practice is advising the organisers on shaping the conference programme (see list below).

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"Disciplines such as social psychology, economics, sociology, political science, cognitive science, and media studies have a great deal to contribute to understanding how people think about climate change and make — or don't make — decisions on climate protection," stressed Marie-Luise Beck from the Deutsches Klima-Konsortium (DKK). "In Salzburg, we want to present the latest research findings in a way that practitioners can actually use — for example, climate protection managers in local authorities or businesses, politicians and staff at non-governmental organisations, as well as practitioners in the media and public relations." The conference is financially supported by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).

"Social research around climate change, climate protection, and climate change adaptation is currently developing at a rapid pace, but the empirical findings are widely scattered and barely known," explained Carel Mohn, head of klimafakten.de. "The conference in Salzburg aims to bring together relevant research findings and stimulate new research on the topic."

K3 Programme Advisory Board:

• Dr Silke Beck, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig
• Prof. Dr Michael Brüggemann, University of Hamburg
• Dr Irene Gabriel, Federal Ministry of Science and Research, Vienna
• Prof. Dr Torsten Grothmann, University of Oldenburg
• Prof. Dr Heinz Gutscher, University of Zurich
• Prof. Dr Helga Kromp-Kolb, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna
• Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Bristol
• Jonathan Lynn, IPCC Spokesperson, Geneva
• Christopher Schrader, Science Journalist, Hamburg

For enquiries about the conference:

Mag.^a Martha Stangl
Network Coordinator
Climate Change Centre Austria, Service Centre
Mobile: +43 664 / 883 268 21
Tel. (Office): +43 316 / 873 9364
Mail: <link>martha.stangl@ccca.ac.at