Developing Public Awareness for Climate Change: Support from International Research Programs

摘要

Developing regional and local public awareness and interest in global climate change has been mandated as an important step for increasing the ability for setting policy and managing the response to climate change. In order to increase public awareness, the informal flow of information (through journalism, public meetings, and public relations efforts) as well as formal education in environmental issues and basic science has to become a top priority at international, regional and local scales. Both educational goals and the flow of public information can be supported by a careful strategy of requesting assistance from international and regional research programs that are targeting the key environmental concerns of the Pacific region.