27 May 14:00-15:30 CEST

How to go from alarm to action

Tipping points in the Earth system are often portrayed as ominous, abrupt shifts that could significantly alter life on Earth. While this reflects the seriousness of the science, the framing can also create confusion and discourage action.

This webinar will explore how climate tipping points are communicated, with a focus on making these complex scientific concepts accessible and meaningful for a range of audiences, including policymakers, stakeholders, and the wider public.

It brings together experts to reflect on current knowledge, communication challenges, and opportunities to strengthen understanding of tipping point risks in the Earth system.

Join us for a discussion examining how language shapes perception of climate risks, and how more careful, evidence-based communication can improve clarity without oversimplifying. The webinar will also address the challenges of doom-laden narratives, and consider how communication can support engagement, agency, and constructive responses to climate risks.

Agenda

  • Susan Escott (communication specialist): Talking about tipping points
  • Katrina Mac Neill (UK Met Office): An up-HILL Battle: Building consensus on terminology of high impact climate events and tipping points
  • Followed by a moderated discussion with Gabi Hegerl (University of Edinburgh)

Back to series overview.

A recording of the webinar will be made available afterwards. 

Speakers

Susan Escott
Communications specialist

A communication specialist with 20+ years’ experience, Susan specialises in dealing with complex, sensitive, hard-to-explain issues. Before setting up Escott Hunt, a media consultancy, she worked at the highest levels in the UK government. Her journalistic experience comes from producing and presenting radio programmes on science and innovation that were broadcast on the BBC World Service. She has supported WMO and IPCC since 2013.

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Katrina MacNeill
UK Met Office

Katrina Macneill is a Senior Climate Science Communicator at the Met Office, working with national and international partners to translate climate science into forms that support policy and decision making. As part of the Knowledge Integration team, her work bridges science and policy, drawing on social science and psychological insights to ensure complex information is clear, relevant, and usable. With a professional background spanning veterinary nursing, hotel management, cabin crew, and academic counselling, Katrina brings a strong people centered perspective to this work. She has supported international climate initiatives, attended multiple UN climate conferences, and contributed to efforts to improve the clarity and accessibility of climate language.

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Gabi Hegerl
University of Edinburgh

Gabi Hegerl is a Professor of Climate System Science at the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on the causes of climate change and the causes and consequences of extreme events. She has also been involved in IPCC reports on climate change and work with the World Climate Research Programme on setting priorities for climate research. She is also a fellow of the Royal Society and Royal Society of Edinburgh.

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All you need to know

This event is part of a series of online discussions aims to advance the knowledge about tipping elements, irreversibility, and abrupt changes in the Earth system. It supports efforts to increase consistency in treatment of tipping elements in the scientific community, develop a research agenda, and design joint experiments and ideas for a Tipping Element Model Intercomparison Project (TipMip).

This discussion series is a joint activity of the Analysis, Integration, and Modeling of the Earth System (AIMES) global research project of Future Earth, the Earth Commission Working Group 1 Earth and Human Systems Intercomparison Modelling Project (EHSMIP) under the Global Commons Alliance and the Safe Landing Climates Lighthouse Activity of World Climate Research Program (WCRP).

Organized by

Analysis, Integration, and Modeling of the Earth System (AIMES)

The Analysis, Integration, and Modeling of the Earth System (AIMES) project is an international network of Earth system scientists and scholars that seek to develop innovative, interdisciplinary ways to understand the complexity of the natural world and its interactions with human activities. AIMES is a global research project of Future Earth.

Future Earth

Future Earth is a global network of scientists, researchers, and innovators collaborating for a more sustainable planet. Future Earth initiates and supports international collaboration between researchers and stakeholders to identify and generate the integrated knowledge needed for successful transformations towards societies that provide good and fair lives for all within a stable and resilient Earth system. Future Earth is the host of the Earth Commission.

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)is an international research institute that advances systems analysis and applies its research methods to identify policy solutions to reduce human footprints, enhance the resilience of natural and socioeconomic systems, and help achieve the sustainable development goals.

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)

The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) is advancing the frontier of integrated research for global sustainability, and for a safe and just climate future. A member of the Leibniz Association, the institute is based in Potsdam, Brandenburg and connected with the global scientific community. Drawing on excellent research, PIK provides relevant scientific advice for policy decision-making. The institute’s international staff of about 400 is led by a committed interdisciplinary team of Directors.

University of Exeter, Global Systems Institute

The Global Systems Institute (GSI) is thought-leading in understanding global changes, solving global challenges and helping create a flourishing future world together, through transformative research, education and impact. GSI's aim is to work with others to secure a flourishing future for humanity as an integral part of a life-sustaining Earth system. GSI's aim to be a ‘go to’ place for global change researchers from around the world, bringing them together with industry, policymakers, students and other stakeholders to tackle shared problems, and acting as a catalyst that enables translation of this research into applications that deliver tangible and sustainable social and ecological benefit.

WCRP Safe Landing Climates Lighthouse Activity.

The Safe Landing Climates Lighthouse Activity is an exploration of the routes to “safe landing” spaces for human and natural systems. It will explore future pathways that avoid dangerous climate change while at the same time contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those of climate action, zero hunger, clean water and sanitation, good health and well-being, affordable and clean energy, and healthy ecosystems above and below water. The relevant time scale is multi-decadal to millennial.