In an era where there are more communication channels, the result has been who shouts loudest wins. Science and factual reporting have been the victims, with the term ‘fake news’ applied both to fabrication alongside views that do not fit a person’s narrative.

In fact science has been a particular victim, with the flagrant misuse of statistics, and ‘balance’ being attained by equal time to the greatest extremes rather than the prevailing scientific view.

Now the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has issued guidance on communication – in the form of a new handbook commissioned by the IPCC (Working Group 1, Technical Support Unit) with guidance on how scientists can improve communication and public engagement.

Although there will surely be some resistance to such ‘dumbing down’ as, for example one of the six suggestions is to use human interest stories instead of excessive data, the move does at least allow the IPCC to talk the same language as its wider audience.

There, of course, the counter argument that by focusing on personal stories – and the scientists themselves – there could be a shift away from trust in science as a concept and more to individuals, but in the true spirit of science it is an interesting experiment.

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