Improving figures for climate change communications: Insights from interviews with international policymakers and practitioners

Wändi Bruine de Bruin (), Lila Rabinovich, Kate Weber, Marianna Babboni, Lance Ignon, Rachel Wald, Monica Dean, Alix Kashdan and Sigourney Luz
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Wändi Bruine de Bruin: University of Southern California
Lila Rabinovich: University of Southern California
Kate Weber: University of Southern California
Marianna Babboni: University of Southern California
Lance Ignon: University of Southern California
Rachel Wald: University of Southern California
Monica Dean: University of Southern California
Alix Kashdan: Booz Allen Hamilton
Sigourney Luz: Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI)

Climatic Change, 2024, vol. 177, issue 4, No 1, 24 pages

Abstract: Abstract Nearly 200 governments rely on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for scientific assessments of climate change. IPCC figures are important for conveying key findings, but can be difficult for policymakers and practitioners to understand. Best practices in graph design, summarized in the IPCC’s visual style guide, recommend conducting interviews with members of the target audience before finalizing figures. Therefore, we interviewed 20 policy makers and practitioners from different countries about three figures drafted for the second order draft of the summary for policymakers associated with IPCC’s Working Group III Sixth Assessment Report. Half were frequent users and half were occasional users of climate science, but similar comments emerged from both groups. The figures received a median rating of 3, on a scale from 1 (= not easy at all to understand) to 5 (= very easy to understand). Showing the caption did not always improve these ratings. Overall, two types of recommendations emerged. First, participants suggested focusing each figure on one key message for policymakers, and removing irrelevant details. For IPCC authors, this involves making hard choices about what to show in the figure and what to leave for the text. Additionally, participants suggested straightforward fixes such as using clear titles, labels, and captions that support the key message. Based on our findings, we present recommendations for the design of climate change figures, and examples of revised figures. These recommendations should be useful for the next round of IPCC reports, and for other organizations that communicate about climate science with policymakers and practitioners.

Keywords: Science communication; Climate change; Data visualization; Graph design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s10584-024-03704-7

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