Call for Papers: ‘Climate Change Communication and the IPCC’

Special Issue proposal for Climatic Change

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is widely regarded as the most important and
authoritative source on climate change, its impacts and how to tackle the rising emissions that drive it.
With this authority comes a responsibility to ensure the information is communicated effectively to
policymakers, citizens and those who rely on the information for their lives and livelihoods.

How the IPCC communicates the information in its reports via its official materials (e.g. Summary for
Policymakers, presentations, FAQs), through different channels (e.g. interaction with journalists, social
media, outreach events in different countries) and to different audiences (e.g. policymakers, public,
business community) has been the subject of intense analysis in the past. Now is an important moment
to, once again, take stock of the evolving IPCC communications strategy; a time to critically reflect on
successes, challenges, lessons learned and best practice for future reports.

The proposed Special Issue (SI) will showcase expertise in the international research, policy, media and
other stakeholder communities in communicating climate change, and its relevance to the IPCC.
Suggested areas of focus for contributions include, but are not limited to:
 How have recent IPCC reports shaped public engagement with climate change?
 What role has media coverage played in how IPCC reports are disseminated and communicated?
 How has the science-policy interface and/or the meaning of policy relevance changed?
 Is the IPCC’s audience changing? What should be the IPCC’s voice?
 Does the way the IPCC is structured shape its activities, and is there scope for change?
 How can the IPCC work more effectively with external agents?
 How can the IPCC widen participation of underrepresented groups in its activities?

The IPCC has a long history of asking the research and global communications communities for input to
its evolving communications strategy. In 2016, the IPCC convened an Expert Meeting on
Communication, which led to a number of recommendations to enhance IPCC communications
activities, strategy and capacity. The SI is independent of the IPCC but the editors will engage directly
with the IPCC Secretariat, inviting key voices to reflect, through a concluding Commentary, on the
Articles and Essays.

Special Issue Guest Editors

A/Prof Saffron O’Neill is based in the Geography department at the University of Exeter, UK. Her
research focuses on climate change communication; with particular interests in visual communication,
and the role of the media, for climate engagement. In 2015, she brought together academic and
practitioner voices to lead a Nature Climate Change Focus Issue ‘IPCC and Media Coverage of Climate
Reports’.

Dr Roz Pidcock is a writer, editor and climate change communications specialist. She leads the Science
Communication Programme at Climate Outreach and was previously Head of Communications for the
IPCC WGI and Deputy Editor at Carbon Brief. Her work supports climate experts to engage different
audiences, aims to enhance public engagement with climate change, and promotes the role of scientific
evidence in policymaking and public discourse.
Journal
We have had fruitful discussions with the journal Climatic Change, who are very supportive of the SI
proposal. Climatic Change would be an ideal venue for the SI, as it has a long history of interest in
climate communication, an interdisciplinary focus, and Open Access publication options. We invite
abstract submissions from authors based in research, policy, media and other stakeholder communities.
Papers can be submitted in one of the following Climatic Change journal formats:

1. Original Research Article: A piece of original, interdisciplinary research. Up to 10,000 words

(inclusive of all text, including references and some figures, see Guidelines below).

2. Essay: An opinion or think piece, subject to review, which has a lower standard of evidence
required to justify conclusions than a research article. Approx. 3,000 words.

In all cases, authors should write concisely and clearly for the broad, interdisciplinary audience of
Climatic Change. All submitted manuscripts will undergo peer review. Further guidance for authors is
available here.

Timeline
The value of publishing the proposed Special Issue before the end of the Sixth Assessment Cycle (AR6) is
that it allows the IPCC to digest the insights in time for the start of its Seventh Assessment Cycle (AR7).
The discussion the SI sparks will also help build momentum for climate change and its relevance for
society ahead of COP26 (note that there is potential for movement on IPCC dates due to the pandemic;
the COP has been delayed until Nov 2021). Potential authors who would struggle to meet the planned
schedule (especially in light of COVID-19 constraints) should get in touch with the Guest Editors to
discuss potential timeline amendments.

Call for abstracts closes: Sept 18 2020

Decision on abstracts & from Climatic Change on SI proposal: Oct 02 2020
Full papers due: Jan 10 2020
Reviews due back: end Feb 2020
Revisions due: mid Apr 2020
SI publication: tbc (before end of AR6, to inform AR7)

Diversity
The Guest Editors recognise that the climate communication domain has much work to do in order to
become more inclusive and diverse, and to listen and learn from a much wider spectrum of experiences.
Therefore, we particularly encourage (and will be actively inviting) abstract submissions from majority
world, women, disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) authors. Please do email any
recommendations of potential authors to the Guest Editors to help us widen our pool of participants.

Funding
The Special Issue is supported by a grant from the Norwegian Environment Agency (NEA).

Submission
Authors should submit their abstracts using the abstract submission form, by Sept 18 2020. Any queries
should be emailed to the Guest Editors: s.oneill@exeter.ac.uk and rozpidcock@gmail.com.