Agenda

11 June 2019

Registration Rates

$25 per person

The AMS Short Course: From science to solutions: How to tell local climate change stories that matter to your audience was held on 11 June 2019 preceding the 47th AMS Conference on Broadcast Meteorology/Fifth Conference on Weather Warnings and Communication in San Diego, CA.

This short course, organized in cooperation with the AMS Station Scientist Committee, began by examining the advancing science of climate change attribution, the role of oceans in the climate system, the state of renewable energy in the U.S., and the role of climate change in national security. Afternoon sessions focused on effective communication of climate science, impacts, and solutions for broadcast meteorologists in a rapidly changing media landscape, including a new tool to incorporate daily renewable electricity generation into the daily forecast.

Morning program included:

• Advances in attribution science — the method of determining the role of climate change in a particular extreme weather event
• The importance of the global oceans in the climate system from Scripps Institution of Oceanography Director Margaret Leinen
• An overview of the science of renewable energy in the U.S., its scalability, and where improvements can be made
• The role of climate change in national security — Guests include Admirals David Titley and Len Hering — explaining how climate change is a threat multiplier to U.S. interests

Afternoon program included:

• The changing opinions of Americans regarding climate change — an in depth look at Americans attitudes toward the science and solutions
• Communication strategies in a changing media environment — methods to convey climate change information to different audiences, including the introduction of WeatherPower, an online tool designed for broadcast meteorologists to help describe how the weather of the day will play a role in the generation of renewable electricity
• Putting theory into practice — an interactive exercise led by a panel of broadcast meteorologists who have been tackling the subject with audiences

Lunch was provided. Laptop computers were suggested for the afternoon team activities (WiFi was available). The short course was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation to George Mason University, in cooperation with Climate Central, Yale University, NASA, NOAA, and AMS. Registration was limited to the 30 AMS broadcast meteorology registrants, whose out-of-pocket course registration fees was capped at $25. Attendees will again earn an AMS CEU.

For more information, contact Susan Hassol, Climate Communication ([email protected])