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Dr Dejan Jontes, head of the organising committee, started out by saying that, following the first international science communication conference in 2022, which focused on new approaches to science communication in response to the phenomenon of 鈥榩ost-truth鈥�, the topic of this year鈥檚 conference would be even more current. 鈥楢lthough all the research shows that climate 鈥渄oomism鈥� and predictions about the end of the world are inadequate ways of approaching the problem, the scientific consensus has for some time been that the climate crisis presents a threat to humanity; at the same time, we are witnessing extreme weather events across Europe, the United States and elsewhere in the world. The purpose of this conference is to discuss the role of science communication in tackling the social and systemic challenges of the climate crisis.鈥�

Professor Ksenija Vidmar Horvat, Vice-Rector for Academic and Student Affairs: 鈥楥limate change is with us, it won鈥檛 go away and it could become our new normal. However, that does not mean that we have to accept it.鈥� She emphasised the importance of the conference, as it presented an excellent opportunity to help forge a relationship between science and the public, particularly in terms of 鈥榗reating a space in which we can work together and find a common consensus on what to do.鈥� 

The keynote speakers (James Painter from the Reuters Institute for the 麻豆国产 of Journalism in Oxford, 麻豆国产 meteorologist and climatologist Tja拧a Poga膷ar, Anastasia Denisova, lecturer in journalism at the University of Westminster鈥檚 Communication and Media Research Institute, and Matja啪 Li膷er from the Slovenian Environment Agency and the National Institute of Biology) discussed the range of scientific approaches, as well as issues around how to communicate the science of the climate crisis and extreme weather events. 

James Painter gave an analysis of visual communications of extreme weather in Europe, the UK and India in the media and journalism, highlighting the importance of positive stories that provoke action, discussion and thought.

Anastasia Denisova responded to Painter鈥檚 presentation indirectly: 鈥楾he public are often exposed solely to one or another form of communication,鈥� she said, arguing that 鈥榡ournalists [had] to learn how to address the issues primarily in a way that [explained] things in a multi-layered and scientific way, with a desire to seek out solutions.鈥� She added: 鈥楾he media need to know how to communicate the fact that concern about climate change is the default mindset of the majority of people.鈥� For Denisova, dramatisation and catastrophism do not encourage cooperation but shift the responsibility elsewhere. 

Tja拧a Poga膷ar devoted her speech to the growing risk of temperature stress in a changing climate, drawing attention to those people in various sectors who are increasingly performing their tasks in unsuitable working conditions. 鈥楢ir temperature and the resulting thermal load are growing to extremes in Slovenia. Climate change projections show that this trend will continue and the number of days with risky levels of heat stress will also increase, mainly in employment sectors that require hard physical labour.鈥�

Matja啪 Li膷er presented the latest findings of oceanographers regarding the extreme rises in sea level occasioned by climate change. 鈥榃hen communicating the climate crisis, the scientific community also has to deal with uncertainties and risks without clouding the urgency of the measures that need to be taken and stirring up feelings of hopelessness.鈥�