Looking for understanding of the journalism process in communicating uncertainties, a panel discussion became a game of blame it on the others. As the people that are often immersed with the different parties of the conflict, but most important directly linked to the society dealing with it, we felt that the speech went flat around who is right…
From the journalism sector, either journalist and critics embraced their limitations especially regarding understanding the scientific information. At the same time, they defend their current efforts on communicating the topic as a result of internal procedures of the area and that overall, science becomes a beneficiary of the coverage, whether it fulfills or not scientific expectations.
To the science community, the exaggeration, filtering and the misinterpretation of the facts are the main issues that make journalistic assess of uncertainties inadequate to inform the public. Meanwhile, the politician sector considers that uncertainties regarding the 2-degree target puzzle opinion in the society, and therefore is the task of the experts (predominantly scientific arena) to deal with it and only communicate the results.
This is why we consider that regardless the roles that each area need to perform what needs to be addressed is What is the aiming of different actors in communicating the uncertainties?, and following this line of thought: Is this leading to a social mobilization to fight the problem?
When the discussion focuses on the uncertainties, we forget that the current evidence and expert advice allowed the set of the target. Also, we neglect the opportunities for development towards more sustainable and resilient societies, and ultimately ignore that these can be used as a mechanism to avoid agreement and compromise, particularly at the political level.
As activists, we contribute to the politicization of technical problems, but we are also able to make an active translation between arenas (scientific to politic sectors and vice-versa). Two important competence that in association with the journalism sector for communicating uncertainties, has all the potential to improve the understanding in the public. Additionally, we should favor climate action and lastly promote a different perspective of the issue towards solutions instead of confusion.