Why we need to talk about the weather

The author contends that while public engagement with climate change has declined, people remain interested in extreme weather events. The Weather Company aims to leverage this interest by using science-backed storytelling to move the public toward creative solutions. The text notes that viewers are more likely to engage in climate discussions after trusting reports on severe weather, despite ongoing public polarization over the issue.

• Public engagement with climate change in the United States has decreased, with a Yale study from September showing that only one in three Americans reported talking to family or friends about the topic in the previous year, representing an 8% decline since 2008.
• Extreme weather events serve as a primary catalyst for public discussion, as the Yale study indicated that Americans who experienced such events in the past year were the most likely to talk about them with others.
• The Weather Company employs a strategy of 'storytelling backed by science' to bridge the gap between severe weather reporting and climate change awareness, utilizing series like 'Tipping Points' and 'Hacking the Planet' to illustrate real-world effects and potential scientific solutions.
• Public opinion on climate change remains highly polarized, as evidenced by comments on The Weather Company's websites being evenly split between those deeply worried about climate change and those who question the sanity of believers.

APA

Kenny, D. (2014). Why we need to talk about the weather. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/can-honest-conversation-climate-change/

Chicago

Kenny, David. Why we need to talk about the weather. World Economic Forum, 2014. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/can-honest-conversation-climate-change/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Kenny |first1=David |title=Why we need to talk about the weather |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=22 January 2014 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/can-honest-conversation-climate-change/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{kenny2014why, author = {Kenny, David}, title = {{Why we need to talk about the weather}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2014}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/can-honest-conversation-climate-change/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }