Two degrees warmer: how our understanding of weather affects our understanding of climate crisis

This series of four podcasts results from my Masters Research Project towards my Masters of Arts in Environmental Education and Communications at Royal Roads University in 2021. You can listen to each episode here, and below you can see the abstract for my research project, my literature review, and the list of experts interviewed.

Two Degrees Warmer Episode 1 – The same words in weather and climate
Two Degrees Warmer Episode 2 – What do we call it: global warming, climate change, or what?
Two Degrees Warmer Episode 3 – The messenger matters
Two Degrees Warmer Episode 4 – Looking for solutions and that magic sauce

Abstract:

In our 21st century society, we are very familiar with the language of weather. But has our familiarity with weather forecasting made it difficult for us to understand the seriousness of the climate crisis due to shared terminology between the two? We know what it means if told it’ll be two degrees warmer today – we can remove a layer of clothing. But two degrees warmer in climate terms means significant planetary chaos, much worse than just taking off a sweater. Climate scientists and activists are clear about the urgent need to bring decision makers up to speed on the climate crisis, but this communications challenge can be hampered by the terminology used. This journalism-style research is presented through a series of four podcasts featuring conversations with experts discussing how leaders in weather, climatology and environmental activism view the problems, communications challenges and potential solutions to conflating weather and climate terminology.