How can you communicate environmental risks and uncertainties transparently?

1 Define your terms

One of the first steps to communicate environmental risks and uncertainties transparently is to define your terms and concepts. What do you mean by risk, uncertainty, probability, confidence, and so on? How do you measure and quantify them? How do you account for variability, variability, and ignorance? Different disciplines and audiences may have different interpretations and expectations of these terms, so it is important to clarify them upfront and use them consistently throughout your communication. You can also use visual aids, such as graphs, tables, or diagrams, to illustrate your definitions and show how they relate to your data and analysis.

2 Use plain language

Another key aspect of communicating environmental risks and uncertainties transparently is to use plain language that is accessible and relevant to your audience. Avoid jargon, technical terms, and acronyms that may confuse or alienate your listeners or readers. Instead, use simple and concrete words, examples, and analogies that can convey your message clearly and accurately. For example, instead of saying "the 95% confidence interval for the mean annual precipitation is 600-800 mm", you can say "we are 95% sure that the average amount of rain per year is between 600 and 800 millimeters". You can also use metaphors, stories, or scenarios to illustrate the potential impacts or outcomes of environmental risks and uncertainties.

3 Acknowledge limitations and assumptions

A third aspect of communicating environmental risks and uncertainties transparently is to acknowledge the limitations and assumptions of your work. No matter how rigorous and robust your methods and data are, there will always be some sources of error, bias, or uncertainty that may affect your results and conclusions. Therefore, it is essential to disclose these sources and explain how they may influence your findings and recommendations. For example, you can state the quality, reliability, and availability of your data, the assumptions and criteria of your models or scenarios, the uncertainties and errors of your estimates or predictions, and the gaps or limitations of your knowledge or evidence.

4 Provide context and comparisons

A fourth aspect of communicating environmental risks and uncertainties transparently is to provide context and comparisons that can help your audience understand the significance and implications of your information. For example, you can compare your results with historical trends, baseline conditions, or alternative scenarios. You can also relate your findings to relevant goals, standards, or benchmarks that can indicate the level of performance, compliance, or acceptability of your information. Additionally, you can use familiar or everyday references, such as time, distance, or frequency, to make your information more relatable and meaningful. For example, instead of saying "the annual greenhouse gas emissions are 10 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent", you can say "the annual greenhouse gas emissions are equivalent to driving 2 billion cars for a year".

5 Address values and emotions

A fifth aspect of communicating environmental risks and uncertainties transparently is to address the values and emotions that may influence your audience's perception and response to your information. Environmental risks and uncertainties often involve ethical, social, economic, or political dimensions that may affect how people feel and think about them. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge and respect these values and emotions, and to avoid being dismissive, defensive, or judgmental. You can also use empathetic and inclusive language, such as "we", "us", or "our", to show that you share the same concerns and interests as your audience, and to invite them to participate in the dialogue and decision-making process.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?