Take the floor - communicating climate science

21 March 2016

A group of Master students of the OCCR’s Graduate School of Climate Sciences has realized a short documentary called Take the floor that is based on interviews conducted at COP 21. 

The film is the first outcome of a research project on how to best communicate scientific results. Prithvi Naik, Alden Ackerman, Amanda Lebic and Simon Steffen want to investigate the knowledge and communication gaps which separate the scientific community and the general public. Therefore, at the Paris climate conference in December 2016, they have interviewed scientists, policy makers, media representatives, and members of the general public with regards to their understanding and perceptions of climate change. The 8-minute documentary addresses the issues of transparency and how the results of climate scientists can be clearly relayed to the general public. The goal of the project, which is supported by the Climate Science Student Council, is to determine the major roadblocks that prevent the general public from fully understanding the science presented by the experts.