Comedy Enters The Fray to Raise Climate Awareness

Jokes such as - “Oil companies did the math, and fixing the environment is slightly less profitable than fixing the elections” - may be a route to get more people engaged in the climate arguments.

Comedy meets science

Emmy Award-winning actor and comedian David Cross uses that joke in a new video series that seeks to engage US citizens in the climate crisis at a time when the current government is trying to silence climate science.

The Climate Science Translated series pairs scientists with comedians, who translate climate science in no holds barred language - something many academics struggle to do. It launched in the UK last year, reaching more than 10m viewers, with a whopping 87 percent saying they were more likely to take climate action after watching.

Those behind the initiative were motivated by research showing that three quarters of Americans want stronger climate action from their government. Trump may be in denial, so this film seeks to mobilise people into speaking up before it's too late, and to help move the debate back down to reality.

“Climate change isn’t political - it’s been politicised,” said Ben Carey, founder of Climate Science Breakthrough, which launched the project. “Most people want action, even if Trump doesn’t. This video campaign has found an effective way to appeal beyond partisan viewpoints, through the unlikely alliance of eminent scientists and foul-mouthed comedians.”

Check out the new films and see what you think. As the website says: "With over 10 million views for the first UK series, this format has shown it can reach beyond the converted, in a way that cuts through. Please share!"