Defining success in climate communication: can dance foster collective action?

How people talk about climate change has immeasurable importance to our reaction to climate crisis. Climate communication encompasses all of these interactions. If society is to address climate change in any capacity, climate communication must be curated to demonstrate the urgency of the crisis, as well as prompt subsequent action. This paper synthesizes existing literature to formulate a list of strategies to gear climate communication towards meeting these goals. Emphasizing adaptation and mitigation, including a call to action, creating an interactive experience, and utilizing social media to its fullest extent are four areas that provide insight to how best promote action on climate change. The merits of dance as a climate communicator, and its ability to embody these strategies, is then discussed. The communal, universal, and inspiring aspects to performance art render it a format of climate communication worthy of exploration and further research.

May 2022 Copyright © 2022 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT How people talk about climate change has immeasurable importance to our reaction to climate crisis. Climate communication encompasses all of these interactions. If society is to address climate change in any capacity, climate communication must be curated to demonstrate the urgency of the crisis, as well as prompt subsequent action. This paper synthesizes existing literature to formulate a list of strategies to gear climate communication towards meeting these goals. Emphasizing adaptation and mitigation, including a call to action, creating an interactive experience, and utilizing social media to its fullest extent are four areas that provide insight to how best promote action on climate change. The merits of dance as a climate communicator, and its ability to embody these strategies, is then discussed. The communal, universal, and inspiring aspects to performance art render it a format of climate communication worthy of exploration and further research. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii INTRODUCTION 1 WHAT DOES SUCCESSFUL CLIMATE COMMUNICATION LOOK LIKE? 5 EMPHASIZING ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION OVER CONSENSUS 7 INCORPORATING A CALL TO ACTION 12 AIMING FOR ENGAGEMENT 16 FULLY UTILIZING SOCIAL MEDIA 20 SYNTHESIZING MEANS FOR SUCCESS 23 DANCE AS A CLIMATE COMMUNICATOR 26 DANCE IN ACTION 29 OPTIMIZING DANCE AS A COMMUNICATOR: CONCLUSION 32 REFERENCES 35 iii 1 INTRODUCTION Can you remember when you first learned about climate change? Was it a hurricane in your state? A drought, or a wildfire? No matter your perspective or perception of climate change, many people can recall hearing of, or learning about, climate change in school, in the news, through social media, or through a personal experience with its many repercussions. The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly impossible to ignore. Whether or not people are cognizant of these effects, climate change will continue to plague society for decades to come. Glaciers are shrinking, sea levels are rising, and global average temperatures are increasing (NASA, 2021; CDC, 2021). The ranges of plant and animal species are shifting, sea ice is melting, and extreme weather events are happening more often, with more intensity (NASA, 2021; CDC, 2021). Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have brought atmospheric concentrations of CO2 to the highest level they have been for the last three million years (Pinto et al., 2019). Climate change isn’t a perceived threat, it is here now. More droughts and heatwaves, alterations to precipitation patterns, and extreme storms are only a few of the impacts of climate change that we are already seeing, and that will continue to impact our planet (NASA, 2021; CDC, 2021; EPA, 2016). Highly populated areas already experiencing sea-level rise will be grappling with an additional rise of 1 to 8 feet before 2100 (NASA, 2021; Naylor, 2014). If by some miracle people have not learned of climate change, they will be forced to learn about it 2 through the displacement of millions of climate refugees, through rising food insecurity as water becomes more scarce and precipitation patterns shift, through increasingly scarce water and shifts in precipitation patterns, and through worsening air quality (CDC, 2021; EPA, 2016; Kent, 2018). And yet, only 59% of Americans perceive climate change as a major threat (Fagan & Huang, 2020). 16% of Americans do not see climate change as a threat at all (Fagan & Huang, 2016). As the effects of climate change become more personal, the way people talk about climate change will become more important. Most people know about climate change now, but they neglect to change their behavior based on that knowledge, or they deny it altogether. In the United States, entrenched political polarization has transformed climate change into a belief, instead of a reality. While 83% of Democrats consider climate change a major threat, only 27% of Republicans agree (Fagan & Huang, 2016). In order for there to be collective action on climate change, more research in climate communication is needed to discover how best to engage with people across the board, whether they are climate deniers or environmentalists. It is imperative that both the information communicated about climate change, and the medium used to communicate it, are curated to make the biggest impact. How do we get people to do something about it? Hearing about the dramatic effects of global temperature rise is understandably overwhelming. Instead of introducing climate change with alarming data, other methods 3 of communication can be more effective at getting people to take action (Moser, 2014; Wirth et al., 2014). Research has shown that simply providing more information and statistics about climate change does not typically influence the recipient to make any personal changes (Wirth et. al., 2014). As a result, it could be that moving away from statistical climate communication has the potential to improve public perception and promote action (Wirth et. al., 2014). Transitioning climate communication from a focus on data to an emphasis on adaptation strategies and action items can begin to reframe the climate crisis. Adaptation strategies propose solutions that benefit the recipients of climate messaging, making it more likely to prompt subsequent action or lifestyle changes (Bendell & University of Cumbria, 2018, 6; Moser, 2014). In addition, incorporating a call to action makes it easier for the audience to know what to do with the information provided (Wirth et. al., 2014). Ensuring that communication employs interactive elements aids in making it more meaningful and personal to the listeners (Wirth et. al., 2014). The far-reaching nature of social media is another untapped resource, encouraging engagement and discussion among individuals and groups (Pinto et al., 2019). It is important to acknowledge the difference between an analysis of how to prompt action versus how to act as a response to instances of climate communication. This paper will focus on answering the former, by considering the perspectives and research offered by numerous scholars in the field, including, but not limited to, Veronika Wirth, J. Pinto, Susanne Moser, and Julia Bentz. Despite this emphasis, determining the best course of action to address climate change is also tricky. Many methods of 4 communication discussed in this paper are geared towards encouraging individual lifestyle changes and/or activism. However, scholars agree that corporations and governments must usher in structural reforms to fully combat climate change; changing the habits of individuals is not enough (IPCC, 2022). With this in mind, optimizing climate communication remains a task integral to instructing and inspiring the public. In this paper, a synthesis of existing literature will break down the elements of successful climate messaging. Proficient climate communication will be defined as messaging that demonstrates the need for climate action. After looking at particular aspects of communication strategies, the most effective manner in which to convey the urgency of climate change and encourage action will be discussed. A breakdown of the merits of performance art, specifically dance, as a communicator will demonstrate its potential as a messenger about global environmental change. 5 WHAT DOES SUCCESSFUL CLIMATE COMMUNICATION LOOK LIKE? Climate communication encompasses all of the ways that climate change shows up in interpersonal communication. This paper aims to identify aspects of climate communication that increase concern and promote action on climate change. The capability of dance to embody these methods will then be discussed. While acknowledging that climate communication categorically includes messaging that does not seek to accomplish these goals, a definition of success within climate communication will help to identify optimal strategies. First, an explanation of the various uses and impacts of climate communication is crucial to realizing its potential. The Yale School for the Environment offers a succinct summary. Climate communication can be about spreading the word, mobilizing the masses, or persuading the public. It can also be about “solving” climate change, warning people about its effects, or informing them of the science behind it all. The messenger can be a single person, a group, an organization, or any outlet of information through which a message about climate change is disseminated. The communication can be distributed through a diverse array of channels and networks to reach audiences with many disparate backgrounds and values, continuing to develop awareness, understanding, alarm, indifference, or action about climate change (Yale School for the Environment, 2016). The relative success of climate communication can be assessed on a number of different levels. For an individual, changes in attitude, behavior, or an increase in climate literacy can indicate that climate communication was effective (Boyd-Barrett, 2019). It is comparatively easy to measure successful communication on an individual level, as shifts 6 in singular mindset or habits are more easily measurable. When it comes to collective action of a group or population, however, success is more difficult to quantify. Effective models of climate communication can be explored by looking first at the desired outcomes of climate communication. For the purposes of this paper, there are two principal objectives of climate change communication. The first is to get the audience to comprehend the urgency of climate change: specifically, the idea that climate change is imminent and will impact everyone (Filho et al., 2018). The second goal is to get the audience to act on the knowledge being imparted to them. This result, while difficult to achieve, is crucial for fostering a societal response to climate change (Moser, 2014). In order to achieve these desired outcomes, communicators must craft messaging that succinctly and persuasively incorporates information about climate change and action. A dive into modern environmentalist, philosophical and sociological thinking suggests that the following four areas aid in this effort: 1. Emphasizing Adaptation and Mitigation over Scientific Consensus; 2. Incorporating a Call to Action; 3. Aiming for Engagement; 4. Fully Utilizing Social Media This is by no means an exhaustive list of how to best promote action and understanding of climate change. Nonetheless, these four areas have been shown by a number of scholars to provide valuable insight to crafting effective climate messaging. 7 Considering that the chief objectives are to communicate urgency and prompt action, these steps will help to set climate communication up for success. Emphasis on Adaptation and Mitigation Over Scientific Consensus To achieve the first goal of climate communication, communicators must be careful not to rely excessively on science and data. Research indicates that removing scientific jargon, narrowing the scope of information presented, and looking at the present instead of the future makes communication more comprehensible and compelling. Effective communicators should therefore emphasize adaptation and mitigation rather than scientific consensus. Inundating audiences with related, but unnecessary, information can distract from the central message of any communication. The scientific consensus on climate change already exists, and thus filling climate communication with supporting data can be repetitive and counterproductive. Scientific jargon serves to make climate messaging less accessible and appealing to many communities, who may not understand or are skeptical (Wirth et. al., 2014). Since reaching a wider audience is important in moving toward collective action, removing complex and often pedantic language and tone from climate communication can help accomplish the aforementioned goals. More importantly, other strategies are more likely to get the audience to not just comprehend the message, but to take action. In many cases, reliance on statistics within climate messaging removes localized examples of climate impacts, an awareness of which helps to foster eco- 8 conscious attitudes (Filho et al., 2018). A large proportion of climate communication employs universal data to prove the worldwide nature of climate change (Filho et al., 2018). Narrowing down the scope of the information presented can mitigate anxiety, and personalize the message to a specific audience (Filho et al., 2018). Shifting from bigpicture ideas to local or even regional examples aids in presenting climate change as an issue that can be addressed by the surrounding community instead of a global, Sisyphean task. Even a skeptical audience is more likely to act if the communication is centered around something of direct importance to them. In a presentation of global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations as evidence of anthropocentric climate change, universal data may be used to display rising global temperatures and forecasted global warming in different emissions scenarios. However, honing in on major sources of carbon dioxide emissions in the relevant geographic region can present a much more palatable message, and lead to a discussion of how activism or political reform could directly tackle the issue. The audience may be more receptive to this communication if they understand that local carbon emissions are resulting in negative health impacts to their own community, since they or a loved one may have been personally affected. In addition, communication can be used to bring attention to environmental injustices present in the audience’s own neighborhood or city. If the audience is from a more privileged area, this offers an opportunity to consider local policies and regulations or domestic habits that contribute to environmental inequity. Effective communication will then offer ways to halt actions that exacerbate environmental injustice. By presenting localized data, action items that follow will seem 9 both more impactful and realistic than if they were supported by less tangible global statistics. Shifting from scientific focus to adaptation and mitigation requires an understanding of how these concepts shape societal response to climate change. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), adaptation “refers to changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential damages” of climate change (UNFCC, 2022). Examples of adaptation strategies include constructing seawalls and levees, or changing the crops grown in a particular zone as climate shifts. Mitigation, on the other hand, “employs decarbonization technologies and techniques that reduce CO2 emissions'' (Fawzy & Osman, 2020). Mitigation strategies include conversion to renewable energy, reforestation, and even geoengineering projects. Climate communication that emphasizes adaptation and mitigation discusses sustainable development and lifestyle, sparking discussions about how to address climate change. If too much emphasis is placed solely on scientific data, “uncertainties in projections of future climate change and its impacts [will] render it more difficult for people to decide for concrete adaptation actions” (Wirth et. al., 2014). Too much reliance on climate models may, in some cases, permit deniability by basing climate communication on projection instead of more appreciable, felt impacts (Wirth et. al., 2014). Real, current examples get rid of any plausible deniability, automatically bolstering an argument about the urgency of climate change (Wirth et. al., 2014). As mentioned above, including personalized examples of climate hazards establishes the threat posed by climate change specifically to that group. Thus, an audience from within 10 that group is more likely to both comprehend the problem, and be motivated to implement mitigation strategies. For instance, looking at maps of modeled sea-level rise as a threat to coastal communities bases the central argument of that communication on an abstract forecast. By switching the focus to lived experiences, it is more difficult to deny the harmful effects of climate change on our environment (Wirth et. al., 2014). For this example, examining sea level rise in Norfolk, VA shows how frequent flooding as a result of land subsidence and rising sea levels is already impacting the lifestyles of coastal communities (Naylor, 2014). This communication would be particularly effective when directed at other coastal populations, or U.S. residents. In order to accomplish the second stated goal of climate communication, the presentation should conclude with adaptation suggestions or mitigation strategies for sea-level rise. Additional research shows that an emphasis on adaptation-based communication helps to frame climate change in a more palatable light for audiences (Moser, 2014). Political polarization, specifically in the U.S., cultivates the politicization of scientific data, thereby leaving room for people to denounce scholarly outlets as biased (Fisher, 2013). Centering climate communication on adaptation policies transcends ideological differences by proposing actions that provide specific, critical benefits (Moser, 2014). Examples of this include placing houses on stilts, or increasing the appeal of flood insurance—all important adaptation strategies for communities battling sea-level rise. 11 The emphasis of climate communication is one area that must be adapted in order to effectively convey the urgency of climate change. While descriptions of the crisis and its effects are available, messaging about how to address these hazards is much rarer (Moser, 2014). Information overload has proven to be an inadequate approach. Scientific language makes climate communication less accessible. Straying away from universal data and forecasts in favor of a focus on local issues has the potential to make communication more consequential. The lack of research in climate communication, as opposed to climate data and modeling, has resulted in many lost opportunities to inspire climate action and political reform (Moser, 2014). While climate ‘data-dumping’ can exacerbate stress and anxiety, communicating about adaptation emphasizes participation and action. Adaptation communication confronts climate change by offering solutions that have the potential to delay or minimize the felt impacts (Wirth et. al., 2014). By providing immediate gratification to populations experiencing environmental hazards, adaptation improves the likelihood that climate communication will invoke action (Filho et al., 2018). Urgent, current burdens of climate change are opportunities for scholars, scientists, sociologists, artists, and all communicators to encourage people to do something about these issues. Dance is one method of communication that has the potential to adopt these suggestions. Since it is a physicalization of a message, a reliance on data and statistics is not an issue. Dance brings people together, whether they are performers, choreographers, directors, or audience members (TED, 2019). Because of its unifying nature, dance can bring awareness to shared values and causes, such as a local environmental threat. At the 12 very least, dance can be a vehicle to start discussions about adaptation and mitigation among audiences and artists. Incorporating A Call to Action Including a call to action within climate communication eliminates any doubt about how to proceed, and is thus more likely to inspire action. By bringing attention to accountability, avoiding solely negative tones, and appealing to recipients’ identities, a call to action within climate communication makes it more likely that listeners will do something, or at least consider it (Moser, 2014; Wirth et. al., 2014). The effects of climate change are more pronounced in developing countries, and yet it is developed nations who contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions. Because the negative impacts on developed countries are less severe, it is easier for their populations to view climate change as a distant issue (Wirth et. al., 2014). With this mindset, polluters can ignore how their actions contribute to climate change, since they are not suffering directly from the outcome. As environmental hazards worsen, this relationship will evolve (Wirth et. al., 2014). Environmental impacts that may currently only plague developing nations will begin to affect developed countries as well. In the meantime, though, it is paramount that people in developed countries understand their role in inflicting climate change, and acknowledge the impact of their decisions. Increasing climate communication that identifies actions degrading the environment is crucial to building this understanding. Starting discussions about accountability can illuminate the next steps for the recipients of such communication, making them more 13 likely to act. Alongside greater candor about populations’ contributions to climate change, including a call to action in climate communication makes it more direct and compelling. Incorporating an emotional aspect to climate communication is an important part of making an impact on the audience. After all, the utility of emotion, or pathos, in crafting a rhetorical argument goes back thousands of years (Arnold, 1985). However, a continual drone of doom and gloom may cause your audience to feel hopeless, and personally powerless to help the situation. In order to fulfill the previously stated goals of climate communication, it may be more helpful to use an inspiring tone instead of a disheartening one. Rather than a presentation focusing on alarming, overwhelming facts, incorporating feelings of hope and preparedness is more compelling (Wirth et. al., 2014). The inclusion of emotion within communication is most consequential when calling for optimism, or hope for the future (Wirth et. al., 2014). This suggests that a more positive focus improves the likelihood that the receiver of climate communication will take action, as they will understand their role both in the problem and its solution. This counteracts the feelings of helplessness in the face of climate change, by explaining what the listener can successfully do with the information they are receiving. One impact of climate change is food insecurity, exacerbated by a growing global population and warmer average temperatures (Sova, 2019). Climate communication about food insecurity can choose to focus on how one in nine people are undernourished, and how this number stands to grow as climate change escalates human conflict and displacement (Sova, 2019). South Asia and Africa are the two areas experiencing the highest rates of food insecurity and the most environmental 14 vulnerability (Sova, 2019). In a presentation on food insecurity caused by higher temperatures, shifting the focus of a presentation from famine and drought to how immigration policies can be reformed, and preparing for the displacement of populations, reminds the audience that it is possible to prepare for imminent hazards. Even without specific instructions, this communicates the need for policy change to support environmental refugees, suggesting a stance that listeners can personally take to actively affect the future situation. A discussion of sustainable agriculture and diets proposes individual changes an audience can make to take action on food insecurity issues. In the U.S., teens tend to know more about the causes of climate change than their adult counterparts (Boyd-Barrett, 2019). As a result, climate communication that bridges intergenerational gaps may have the most success in demonstrating the necessity of collective action (Boyd-Barrett, 2019). Finding common ground between different age-groups, and focusing on awareness as a primary outcome, are two strategies which can be employed in climate communication to promote positive dialogue among audiences with higher levels of skepticism or dissenting points of view (Boyd-Barrett, 2019). Instead of highlighting areas of insecurity for an audience with less knowledge on the topic, crafting messages that speak to more comfortable topics has the potential to make them more receptive to the messages being conveyed. When people are already experiencing climate change impacts, they are more likely to act on them. Climate communication will be most effective when it appeals directly to the identities of its audience (Moser, 2014). In many instances, a home is a crucial part of people’s identities, and when that home becomes threatened, their identity 15 is threatened as well (Moser, 2014). In the same way that providing local examples helps to increase community engagement on an issue related to climate change, connecting to personal circumstances for an audience has the power to make climate communication more poignant and straightforward. By considering geographically specific threats within climate communication, the communicator is relating to the audience, automatically building their investment in the messages being presented. Other elements of identity that can be integrated into climate communication are religion, gender identity, political stance, and race. To illustrate this, consider a discussion of deforestation and its consequences on biodiversity. Ten million hectares of forest are being lost each year to deforestation, constituting an urgent threat to biodiversity (The Royal Society, n.d.). From a global point of view, deforestation is an immense and overwhelming problem. A more effective way to convey a call to action to an audience is not by focusing on the global implications of deforestation, but by connecting to the identity of that specific audience. Limiting the focus of the communication also makes it easier to suggest subsequent actions. If the audience were from a tropical or subtropical region, framing this discussion around the destruction of rainforests would likely yield better results. In the Amazon alone, there are 15,000 species of trees, 17% of which have been deforested (The Royal Society, n.d.). Looking at localized explanations for deforestation would lead to actions that the audience could take to impact this in their area, such as protesting against the logging industry and supporting local efforts to protect biodiversity. But if the audience were from an urban area, it would be more impactful to focus the communication on habitat 16 fragmentation and regionally endangered species. In this scenario, a commentary on urban sprawl or on major metropolitan polluters leads seamlessly into activism and lobbying activities. Ensuring that the communication includes action items that are relatable to the audience will provide them with an outlet to address their concerns, simultaneously fostering eco-conscious attitudes. This communication thereby connects to the home of its audience, rendering them more likely to act. Connecting to the identity of viewers is one aspect of communication that dance excels at. Dance has tremendous potential to transmit inspiration and hope to its audiences, through making the ugly (climate change) into something tangible and beautiful. This aspect of the art form aids in climate communication by shifting the tone to one of aspiration, and by portraying the level of urgency and call to action through the vulnerability of the artists. Aiming for Engagement Another significant factor in ensuring that climate communication is persuasive is how well the communication engages the audience. This means that climate communication should seek to prompt a response and commitment from its listeners in order to encourage them to act on climate change. An important factor to consider here is the directionality of communication– it can be a one-sided message (unidirectional), or it can resemble a conversation (multidirectional). Engaging in multidirectional communication methods that promote interaction, as opposed to reaction, are more likely to accomplish the goals of climate communication (Wirth et. al., 2014). To more 17 effectively impact its audience, climate communication should aim for an engaging, multidirectional model, employing various learning strategies, discussion, and relational learning. This entails encouraging a dialogue instead of a monologue, and presenting information through many mediums, such as performance art. In a traditional, basic sense, communication involves a messenger that communicates to a single audience, and information travels in one direction to its recipients (Yale School for the Environment, 2016). This refers to a unidirectional mode of communication. James Carey described this type of communication as ‘transmission’, where one party gives knowledge to another (Carey, 1989, 15). There are, of course, flaws with this definition, starting with the assumption that the audience is passively taking in this communication and not necessarily acting upon it. From a different angle, the audience of any communication interprets messaging according to their perspectives and values, and retransmits this communication through their own networks (Yale School for the Environment, 2016). Carey coined this type of communication as ‘ritual’, rooted in community, interaction, and collaboration, derived from religion and the perseverance of society over time through shared values (Carey, 1989, 18). A modernized take on climate communication, geared towards reciprocal action on climate change, interacts with its listeners and gets them to think critically about the message. The dominant climate communication strategy employed by developed nations has been unidirectional, meaning they convey information to a reader without prompting any cooperation (Wirth et. al., 2014). Communication methods that encourage interaction between the sender and the receiver have been much less common, even though this 18 dialogue could be more successful in prompting climate action (Wirth et. al., 2014). While the majority of climate initiatives have engaged in unidirectional communication, research suggests that interaction-based communication boosts understanding (Wirth et. al., 2014). By including a question and answer session or survey within a presentation, the audience is encouraged to engage with, and think critically about, the information they are receiving. To utilize climate communication in a way that maximizes climate action, a communicator must consider incorporating this kind of peer-to-peer engagement. Rather than merely presenting information, utilizing discussion can boost critical thinking and interest in topics such as climate change (Jones, 2014). When students engage with new information, they are applying their own thoughts to the ideas presented in the classroom (Jones, 2014). A lecture about climate change can hereby be transformed into a multidirectional format, while retaining all of the relevant information. Beyond a discussion element to communication, disseminating information through multiple mediums, passing on the message, and using relational learning are all ways to improve the retention of information in the subject audience (Loma Linda University, n.d.). If the central message of climate communication is better retained by its listeners, they are then more likely to develop an understanding of the importance of climate action. In addition, all of these strategies are multidirectional methods of communication. Incorporating more than one style of learning in communication means that the information therein is more likely to be learned than memorized (Loma Linda 19 University, n.d.). Methods of learning include visual, auditory, tactile, and verbal, among others. Asking a listener to teach the information received to another person or group is another way to foster a better understanding of the initial communication (Loma Linda University, n.d.). Relational learning, or finding connections between new and old knowledge, is also a strategy to improve memory (Loma Linda University, n.d.). Since the goals of climate communication are to grasp the urgency of climate change and act in response, it is imperative that communicators apply these strategies to render their messages more memorable and compelling. News articles are one communication style that is traditionally unidirectional. At one time, reading the news was a solitary activity. With technology, though, readers are able to easily share or comment on a story. The nature of news articles is changing, and because of technology, readers have access to more content than ever before (Bentz, 2020). Online news and social media provide new opportunities for climate communication that were previously not possible. Dance, and specifically dance viewership, is another experience that can be onesided. However, additional elements can be incorporated to performance, utilizing multimodality and enriching the experience for the artists and for the viewers. Amelia Unsicker is one choreographer who included climate change messaging in many parts of her choreographic thesis at UC Irvine, beyond just the intent behind the choreography (Unsicker, 2016). Unsicker used projection, an original score and soundscape, and screendance to more effectively engage her audience in her message about the urgency of climate change (Unsicker, 2016). These efforts represent ways that dance can be further 20 geared towards fostering an engaging and interactive experience, moving towards the goals of climate communication. Beyond Unsicker’s work, utilization of social media to market, share, and create discussion about dance and climate change is another avenue worth taking advantage of. Fully Utilizing Social Media Online news and social media have revolutionized the way information is distributed and shared, dramatically impacting communication. Optimizing climate communication will entail taking advantage of all of these capabilities. In order to prompt climate action through climate communication, it is important to reach the widest audience possible, make information shareable, and kickstart conversations between communities and individuals. Social media can satisfy all of these goals. Social media has had an immeasurable impact on communication worldwide, revolutionizing the spread of news and information. Social media enables collaboration, spreads information quickly, and highlights voices that otherwise may fly under the radar (Maryville University, n.d.). In a Pew Research Center study conducted June 2020, 32% of social media users utilized their platforms in that month to “encourage others to take action on issues they regard as important” (Auxier, 2020). From the ALS ice bucket challenge, to #blacklivesmatter, to #metoo, social media campaigns can garner global attention, raising both awareness and millions of dollars (Maryville University, n.d.). Simply by writing a post or sharing a link, you can increase visibility for major, and minor, issues. 21 Posting on social media is a less tangible form of activism than taking public transit or stopping eating meat, but it is undoubtedly an accessible way by which citizens from all different backgrounds can engage in local politics, and get the attention of lawmakers and corporations. People who may not have the financial means or opportunity to eat from more sustainable food sources, or drive hybrid and electric cars, are more likely to be able to utilize social media. Not only can people access communication through social media, but they can also engage with it. Climate communication on the internet allows individuals and stakeholders to engage in discussions, and forward the message to others. This dissemination of information embodies the modern definition of communication by creating a network of interaction between groups from a variety of backgrounds and values (Yale School for the Environment, 2016). A major barrier to widespread climate communication has been the distribution of messaging across audiences (Moser, 2014). To be successful, a communication strategy must reach a large group and be tailored to their biases and preferences (Moser, 2014). Social media is one way of getting a message delivered to an audience around the globe, directly addressing the accessibility issue associated with many other methods of climate communication. News outlets and online media continually release relevant and important information to communities on local, regional, and global levels, providing the basis for dialogue about current events like the climate crisis (Moser, 2014). For many people, social media is their primary source for new information about environmental change (Pinto et al., 2019). In 2020, 45% of American social media users used their 22 platforms to become more involved with the sociopolitical issues that matter to them (Auxier, 2020). Fully utilizing social media to talk about climate change, whether between individuals or towards a larger audience, is critical to fostering collective action. The media, both news and social media platforms, have the power to set the global agenda (Yoder, 2021). Whether or not people are already taking action on climate issues, continuing to see messaging on social media establishes it in global conversation, making climate change substantially more difficult for policymakers and corporations to ignore. Prioritizing messaging crafted to promote climate action, and highlighting communication including calls to action, will undoubtedly render climate communication more successful. In 2016, fewer than 40% of Americans viewed climate change as “a top priority” (Tyson et al., 2021). In 2021, this number increased to 64% (Tyson et al., 2021). The public perception of climate change is shifting, and more people than ever before are understanding why it is such a pressing issue. Now is the time to communicate what to do about it. Social media offers a new way to efficiently share and experience dance that wasn’t previously possible. In addition, social media provides a forum to discuss dance during and after performances, especially if these showings are recorded and posted for virtual as well as live audiences. Social media enriches the potential of dance as a climate communicator, widening the audience and prompting discussion between viewers and artists. 23 Synthesizing Means for Success The established goals of climate communication are to effectively show the urgency of climate change, and prompt subsequent action. The effects that prioritizing adaptation and mitigation over scientific consensus, including a call to action, engaging with an audience rather than preaching at it, and capitalizing on social media can have on climate communication are undeniable. Below is a list summarizing the associated strategies that lead to success: 1. Highlighting adaptation and mitigation instead of building scientific consensus 2. Removing scientific jargon 3. Narrowing the scope of data from global to national, regional, or local 4. Avoiding projections in favor of current examples of climate change impacts 5. Including a call to action 6. Encouraging accountability for actions that contribute to climate change 7. Prioritizing feelings of hope and preparedness over doom and gloom 8. Appealing to the identity of the audience whenever possible 9. Utilizing communication methods that encourage active audience engagement 10. Incorporating multiple learning styles 11. Promoting discussion 12. Taking advantage of social media 13. Focusing on making messaging accessible and widespread 24 14. Making information easily distributable Climate action is crucial to protecting the livelihood of future generations and the well-being of ecosystems outside of anthropogenic concerns. It is vital for scholars to communicate the urgency of, and need for, climate action in the way that will most immediately foster change. Visual and artistic methods of climate communication can address the problems caused by presenting an overdose of information that is not personally relatable for the audience (Bentz, 2020). Dance is one such method that warrants further exploration. The above list represents an analysis of existing communication literature. It is important to acknowledge that while these ideas may contribute to effective climate communication, the outcome of said communication cannot be reduced to any formula. The reality is that every audience and individual will react differently to communication. Dance is a form of communication that may embody many of these strategies, but also possesses an experiential, controlled spontaneity that makes it unique. Dance cannot be reduced to a formula, but further exploration into how it can follow some of the identified suggestions, while retaining its intensity and energy, may illuminate how the abstract nature of performance art makes it a more effective climate communicator. The study of climate communication is a vastly interdisciplinary field. While science is a central element of the domain, contributions from psychology, ethics, political science, and sociology are useful as well (Wirth et. al., 2014). Emerging research suggests that performance art, while consistently overlooked as an educational tool, may be a particularly effective communication strategy. Art centered around our environment 25 has been a growing movement since the 1970s (Bentz, 2020). Most frequently, this art has been used as a medium to convey information, educating audiences on the causes and impacts of rising temperatures (Bentz, 2020). This engaging method of communication raises awareness about climate change, and can powerfully display the impacts of ecological hazards, often in ways more accessible than a verbal or written presentation of scientific research. Data may only reach colleagues within the field, constrained by barriers such as language and jargon; in contrast, performance art is a medium universally understood. Dance pieces persuasively convey emotion, start conversations, and inspire their viewers. Therefore, using performance art as a motivator for climate action is a logical extension of an already established theme in environmental art exhibitions. Performance art, particularly dance, is an untapped method of climate communication that can motivate audiences to adopt eco-conscious attitudes and activist mindsets (Bentz, 2020). 26 DANCE AS A CLIMATE COMMUNICATOR By encouraging audiences to change their worldview, dance has the potential to influence climate action (Loeffler-Gladstone, 2020). Historically, dance has been used to express opinion, whether that be an expression of joy and happiness, or a performance at a protest (TED, 2019). Watching dance “prompts an emotional release and response”, encouraging audiences to interpret and understand what they are seeing (TED, 2019). By utilizing dance to ‘talk’ about the environment, communicators can foster a deeper emotional understanding and build a sense of urgency for action among an audience. Quite literally, dance can mobilize the masses. By using dance, a visual medium, to talk about climate change, it is possible to accomplish the aforementioned goals of climate communication. Performance art can serve as a platform to introduce the issue, a prompt for dialogue, and a vehicle for change (Friscia, 2020). Art, and specifically dance, is an excellent way to engage an audience without merely prompting emotions of anxiety and guilt (Bentz, 2020). Watching a performance applies a different lens to otherwise complicated situations, in an uplifting, accessible, and inspiring way. It is frequently used to reframe complex issues into striking messages that are otherwise hard to understand (Bentz, 2020). Climate change is one of these issues. Visual arts prompt critical thinking and imagination, two crucial tools for inspiring climate action (Bentz, 2020). Hearing a score and visualizing movement create a two-pronged approach to climate communication. By communicating in multiple learning styles, audiences are more likely to remember a dance and understand it (Loma 27 Linda University, n.d.). Watching a performance engages the audience and conveys emotion to them in a uniquely physical way. Messages that are difficult to put into words may be more effectively demonstrated in movement. This research suggests dance can be the messenger through which an audience is inspired to make more ecologically sound choices and advocate for climate action (Bentz, 2020). Dance is an appropriate method of communicating about our climate because it is both natural and universal (TED, 2019). Humans naturally know how to move to a rhythm, lending dance a rare and beautiful accessibility. This subconscious affinity for movement renders dance relatable and more compelling to its viewers. Dance aids in the formation of culture, cooperation, and connection by bringing communities together. Dance unifies its artists, choreographers and audiences in a shared, collaborative experience. No matter where you are from, you can understand dance (TED, 2019). In many cultural contexts, dance forms an integral part of people’s identities. Beyond its cultural significance, dance is also an emotional outlet for people, fostering a sense of connection and vulnerability in participants and audiences alike. One does not have to speak a certain language to understand messaging communicated through dance, and one does not have to be of a certain race, class, gender, or have any specific education to understand it. Dance is universal (TED, 2019). While performance art may at one point have been restricted to indoor showings or gallery exhibitions, the advent of social media and the internet provides a new stage. Social media permits audiences anywhere to engage, participate, and understand projects in ways that were much less accessible in past decades (Bentz, 2020). 28 People who might not dance otherwise can become a part of the dance community by watching works online, or by creating their own digital dance content (Friscia, 2020). Performance art presented outside of conventional spaces has the potential to foster solidarity and evoke dialogue, by reaching a larger audience over a wider area, and operating on a more inclusive platform (Bentz, 2020). While dance can most effectively engage an in-person audience, the adaptation of these pieces to social media posts expands their audiences and broadens their impact. While an in-person show may be performed live only a few times, works that are filmed and shared online, or screendances that are curated to be shared virtually, can be revisited time and time again (Friscia, 2020). When audiences can film performances themselves, they thereby interact with the performance in their own way, even if some other audience members might consider that action disrespectful (Friscia, 2020). Social media offers a new genre of site-specific choreography to the dance world– work can be created and shown exclusively through social platforms. Using dance as a messenger isn’t a new concept. Dance has been utilized throughout history to start conversations about critical social and cultural issues, whether that be in a public performance, a proscenium theater, or on social media (Unsicker, 2016). Many choreographers and performers have explored climate change through their works, with varying creative approaches. Taking a closer look at these artists helps to illuminate the potential for dance to communicate effectively about climate change. 29 Dance in Action Choreographers throughout history have chosen to explore current events and translate associated emotions into movement. Anna Sokolow, Anna Halprin, Liz Lerman, Karole Armitage, and KT Nelson are five female choreographers who have created works inspired by climate change during their prolific careers. Anna Sokolow worked in the 1930s with the New Dance Group, where artists came together to dance and discuss groundbreaking literature (Unsicker, 2016). Sokolow later started her own company with the purpose of showcasing leftist perspectives, and also worked with Martha Graham, one of the most renowned modern dance choreographers (Unsicker, 2016; Kosstrin, 2013). Sokolow’s choreography resonated with both conservatives and liberals, as she represented the working class experience through concert dance (Unsicker, 2016). Widespread reviews of her works demonstrate how her choreography appealed to both the working class and to concert dance audiences, two groups with typically different values (Kosstrin, 2013, 5). Not only did Sokolow’s choreographic works foster discussion and spread awareness of social issues, they also helped to establish that dance and the performing arts could be used to communicate about society in a non-abstract way. The post-modern choreographer Anna Halprin believed that dance should be used as a method of discovery (Unsicker, 2016). Halprin’s works illustrate this belief, with purposes varying from addressing social inequity to fostering community healing (Halprin, 2016). Climate change is an issue that transcends science, and exists in political, social, economic, and cultural spheres. Dance is a part of that culture. Halprin 30 insisted that when a piece intends to illuminate certain issues, the choreographer must find an equilibrium between the artistic and critical properties in the work (Unsicker, 2016; Halprin, 2016). One of Halprin’s works, Circle the Earth (1985), approaches this balance by fostering community through movement and demonstrating the need for unity and cooperation in a physical way (Unsicker, 2016). The piece was restaged all over the world, contributing perfectly to Halprin’s goal of bringing people together to support a common cause (Unsicker, 2016). Halprin’s perspective refutes the anthropocentric ideal that the Earth exists to be consumed and exploited by reframing the Earth as a healer, and a living entity. Liz Lerman’s self-proclaimed ‘subject-matter choreography’ frequently seeks to show current events through physical movement (Lerman, 2022). Lerman’s work Ferocious Beauty: Genome, for example, explores the topic of genetics, portraying a scientific topic through a dance medium, and thereby allowing and encouraging the audience to individually interpret and discover for themselves the meaning of the choreography (Unsicker, 2016). Lerman’s goal is to build connections between communities which do not typically interact, creating a process that is participatory, relevant, and practical for dancers and non-dancers (Lerman, 2022). Karole Armitage is the choreographer and artistic director of the company Armitage Gone! (Unsicker, 2016). Armitage has produced multiple works which specifically aim to display the emotional aspect of climate change, which, as noted, is often overlooked in more data-driven forms of climate communication (Unsicker, 2016). By establishing the link between climate change and human emotion, Armitage’s work 31 prompts her audiences to better internalize and thereby understand climate change, by demonstrating why they should care about it. Establishing this personal response is the first step to prompting subsequent action. If dance is to be used as climate communication, taking advantage of the emotional aspect of performance is pivotal to connecting with audiences in a way that they will remember. Similarly, “Dead Reckoning”, choreographed by KT Nelson for ODC in San Francisco, explores the interactions between humans and the environment. Nelson muses that the ‘missing ingredient’ in the conversation about climate change is emotional connection (KQED Arts, 2016). Dance can serve as an embodiment of climate communication, by utilizing a physical form to display emotion that otherwise remains internal and abstract to the audience. Nelson’s choreography employs green confetti to demonstrate humanity’s destructive presence in the natural world. This choreographic choice succinctly shows how human action is transforming the neutral stage space, or environment, into ‘a place we do not know’ (KQED Arts, 2016). Within this performance, both the choreography and the composition of the music are representative of the emotional reaction to climate change experienced by the artists. For example, the sound score juxtaposes the classical sounds of cello and violin with audio of trees falling. While the piece does not aim to communicate facts or statistics about climate change, it successfully explores and displays the relationship of humans to the environment, and how we both contribute and react to our changing climate. The interpersonal nature of dance also gives its audience the opportunity to compare the interaction between the dancers to the relationship between humans and the natural world. KT Nelson prompted 32 the audience of “Dead Reckoning” to ask, “is what we do to the environment also what we do to each other?” (KQED Arts, 2016). These choreographers are just five examples of past and current explorations of the capabilities of dance as a climate communicator. In the future, a deeper examination of how this genre of communication can be optimally employed will help to make works more impactful for audiences, and ideally push communities towards collective action. A look at the preceding list of climate communication strategies and tips may provide valuable insight on how dance can be adapted to its most compelling format. Optimizing Dance as a Communicator: Conclusion At first glance, dance is an abstract method of communicating about the climate. While dance has little to offer in terms of bolstering scientific understanding of scientific processes like climate change, it does have major potential in its portrayal of the urgency of climate action. In order to accomplish the aforementioned goals of climate communication, there needs to be a shift in messaging, from building scientific understanding through data and projections to focusing on accountability, preparedness, and adaptation. Dance can help facilitate this transition. Site specific choreography offers the regional, national, or local specificity that will gear climate communication towards its target audience. The community building aspect of dance and performance can aid to fostering a sense of hope and connectivity among viewers. Pairing a dance performance with text can help to establish and deepen the narrative of a piece (Unsicker, 2016). By providing an additional element to a 33 performance, like program notes or an audience survey, works can further engage their audiences and promote introspection about climate. Sharing choreography and creative processes online makes this communication more accessible, and opens up dance to be even more participatory and universal. Online versions of dances are easily distributable, and social media users can experience, discuss, and share pieces quickly. It isn’t difficult to picture how dance can convey the urgency of climate change. Incorporating a call to action, on the other hand, presents more of a challenge. While dance can help an audience to understand the depth of the issue, encouraging them to act upon that knowledge is more difficult to communicate through movement. One way a dance company or artist can promote collective action is by pairing a performance with recommendations on subsequent steps an audience can take after the curtain falls. Companies could also seek to fund their performances through sponsorships with local organizations fighting climate change, or donate profits to the cause. On a piece-by-piece basis, the most appropriate way to include this call to action must be discussed and researched. Depending on the location, audience, and participants in a dance, disparate methods of communication are optimal: the more ways in which dancers seek to prompt action in their audience, the more likely they are to achieve this goal. The complex nature of climate change, combined with its relatively long timeline, may be a cause of apathy around this issue (Unsicker, 2016). Even though information and awareness of climate change is widespread, action to address the impacts of climate change has been minimal (Boyd-Barrett, 2019). In order to prompt this type of action, we need to improve not only the content of our messages about climate change, 34 but also the method by which this information is passed along. Evidently, we need to continually demonstrate the urgency and relevance of climate change through direct communication. Dance is one such form of direct communication. Watching a work of dance sends the audience on a journey. In order to be an effective method of climate communication, it is imperative that choreographers consider how their work can transport viewers and transform their worldviews; they should ask not only what journey they wish their audience to undertake, but also how they want the experience to change them. This dynamic changes from live performance to screendance, but the intent remains the same. Future research into dance and its capacity as a climate communicator is crucial to successfully eliciting action. By acting on the results of such research, artists can be not only participants, but key strategic players in the movement for a more environmentally equitable society. 35 REFERENCES Armstrong, Anne K., Krasny, Marianne E., & Schuldt, Jonathon P.. (2018). 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