In a moderated discussion earlier this afternoon this with Allison Agsten, Director of the Center of Climate Journalism and Communications director, the renowned Dr. Sylvia Earle is the first Climate Communicator in Residence. Earle spoke to students and guests about the state of the Pacific Ocean, climate change, and protecting the environment.
Before the event Annenberg Media sat down with the famed oceanographer and scientist. She shared that she hopes students feel empowered to work together to solve the ongoing dilemma of climate change. It cannot be done alone.
Sylvia Earle: The sooner we come together to look at the state of the world, climate is the big headline loss of biodiversity, planetary decline. Earth is becoming less habitable because of us. Imagine if we didn’t know it’s knowing it’s the key. But knowing alone, you have to do something with the knowledge. Scientists know a lot that hasn’t been well communicated to the public at large, so that it’s like second nature to know the climate is changing, but to know why and how and what we can do right now, it is going to get harder.
She also feels that the ocean is in dire need of our immediate attention.
Earle: The ocean is in trouble. Therefore, so are we. It seemed when I was a child that no matter what we put into the ocean or what we took out of the ocean, that nothing could change. The ocean was too big to fail. But now we know the ocean is failing. It’s our job to not feel the ocean. We have the best chance we’ll ever have to turn from a ocean that’s in serious decline.
Agsten is honored to discuss how students can be more involved within climate reporting with Dr. Earle. Agsten is excited to have Dr. Sylvia and hope student’s will be more inspired to engage.
Allison Agsten: I hope students will hear Sylvia talk and think, Oh my God, I want to do more of this. I want to get engaged. I want to learn more about climate change. I want to learn how to communicate about it. And when they’re ready, I’m here for them.
Agsten spoke about the Center for Climate Journalism and Communication’s goal to providing students with the efficient skillset for adequate reporting.
Agsten: You got to know your audience. So how we might communicate about climate in Los Angeles might be different than somebody would communicate about climate in other parts of the world. Also, think really carefully about language. Avoid acronyms. Avoid clunky scientific words with too many syllables, and really tell the story of now. Climate change isn’t just something that’s happening in the future. Climate change is happening today.
This wasn’t the once chance to catch Dr. Earle at Annenberg. She will also speak on Thursday about her celebrated career as an oceanographer.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Kaleef Starks.