Paper Title
Engaging The World Literature, Science, And The Call To Action On Global Warming
Abstract
When it comes to science with significant potential social impacts, it is essential that scientists be able to
communicate information effectively to non-scientists. This is especially true in the field of environmental science, where
information is inherently action-oriented. To properly address issues such as global climate change, the communication of
scientific information must engage not only the intellect but also the visceral and emotive dimensions of learning and
decision-making. While conventional scientific communication (i.e., peer-reviewed articles and books, lectures) is not
particularly effective in accessing these dimensions, the arts (i.e., visual and performing arts, creative writing) have long
been known to be effective in communicating information so as to elicit social action. In this paper, we focus specifically on
the impact of creative writing on global climate change communication and action. We review the efforts of authors of
nonfiction, fiction, and poetry to engage the world so as to effectively respond to climate change. We then discuss the ways
in which science and literature can work together to communicate the key issues and elicit social action to effectively
address the problem.
Keywords- global climate change; value formation; literature; emotion and global warming; explicit attitude to climate
change.