Science and environmental communication
Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, the energy transition and other environmental challenges are at once scientific, social and communication issues.
What we research
The way scientific findings are presented in the media, by institutions and in the digital environment affects how they are understood, trust in science and the possibility of using knowledge in decision-making. Science and environmental communication is therefore an important interdisciplinary research field that connects science, the media, public policy and civic participation.
At the Institute of Communication Studies we research how scientific and environmental issues are communicated and framed in the public sphere, how different actors create and transmit knowledge, and how the public understands complex scientific topics and risks. We analyse the relationship between scientists, institutions, the media, civil society organisations and the public, with a particular interest in the factors that affect trust, access to information and public engagement.
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Our research interest covers science communication, climate and environmental communication, environmental journalism, risk communication, data visualisation and public engagement on scientific and environmental issues. We also research disinformation related to science, climate and the environment, trust in scientific sources and institutions, and the impact of social media, digital platforms and artificial intelligence on the creation, mediation and understanding of scientific information.
Our research approach connects the analysis of media and digital content, public narratives and communication practices with research into how different audiences understand scientific and environmental issues. Of particular interest is the development and application of new methods for presenting complex scientific data and findings in a way that preserves their accuracy while making them more accessible and relevant for different publics.
The interdisciplinary nature of the field opens space for cooperation with universities and research centres, scientists, media and journalists, public institutions, civil society organisations and international partners. Such partnerships make it possible to connect communication research with expertise from the natural, technical and social sciences and to develop approaches that can be applied to concrete environmental and social challenges.
We turn research findings into analyses, public policy recommendations, educational programmes, media content, communication models and practical resources for scientists, institutions, journalists, educators and civil society organisations. In this way we help make scientific knowledge more understandable and accessible in the public sphere, give environmental issues greater visibility, and ensure that decisions and public debate are based on relevant and credible information.
