Weather broadcasters from around Europe met in Zaragoza, Spain on Thursday to discuss adaptation strategies to Climate Change with a particular focus on the challenges that this poses to water supplies in the future. Several keynote speakers addressed the meeting on a multiplicity of issues affecting water supplies across Europe in the coming years as a result of climate change.

 

The participants focused especially on the role of weather broadcasters in communicating the message to their viewers and listeners.

 

Following extensive debate between the participants, the following strategies were agreed unanimously:

 

 TV Channels should be encouraged to make short, positive, messages concerning climate change. Research has indicated that about 50 seconds is a typical attention span and messages should be tailored to this length.

 Put special emphasis on educating children by employing the latest technologies of web, mobile phone, chat rooms and other social media.

 Repeat Climate Change messages when weather events are consistent with projections.

 Relate Climate Change to everyday events, such as how many litres of water are used in manufacturing a pair of jeans, in brushing your teeth, in not turning your tap off properly etc etc

 Encourage people to understand that they can make a difference by using clear, consistent short positive messages.

 The well-known faces of weather broadcasters, trusted through their presentation of the daily weather report, are best placed to deliver the Climate Change message.

 Remind viewers of the direct link between actions they might take to combat Change and their own economic benefit.

 

Realising the urgency of the situation, the weather broadcasters unanimously agreed that they had a particular responsibility to inform and raise awareness of European citizens on this most crucial challenge.