Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change

• Published in: Public Understanding of Science
• Main Authors: Lowe, Thomas, Brown, Katrina, Dessai, Suraje, De França Doria, Miguel, Haynes, Kat, Vincent, Katharine
• Other Authors: School of Environmental Sciences Norwich, University of East Anglia Norwich (UEA), Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2006
• Subjects: Social Sciences & Humanities; [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]; North Atlantic; North atlantic Thermohaline circulation
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00571094; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00571094/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00571094/file/PEER_stage2_10.1177%252F0963662506063796.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662506063796

International audience The film depicts the abrupt and catastrophic transformation of the Earth's climate into a new ice age, playing upon the uncertainty surrounding a possible North Atlantic thermohaline circulation (Gulf Stream) shutdown. This paper investigates the impact of the film on people's perception of climate change through a survey of filmgoers in the UK. Analysis focuses on four issues: the of extreme impacts; over climate change versus other global problems; to take action; and for the problem of climate change. It finds that seeing the film, at least in the short term, changed people's attitudes; viewers were significantly more concerned about climate change, and about other environmental risks. However, while the film increased anxiety about environmental risks, viewers experienced difficulty in distinguishing science fact from dramatized science fiction. Their belief in the likelihood of extreme events as a result of climate change was actually reduced. Following the film, many viewers expressed strong motivation to act on climate change. However, although the film may have sensitized viewers and motivated them to act, the public do not have information on what action they can take to mitigate climate change.