I will be on the panel of a workshop at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum 2010 called “Picturing climate change – is there a conflict sensitive approach?” – it is hosted by Felix Koltermann, representing the organization Pecojon (Peace & Conflict Journalism Network) and the University of Augsburg. Further participants are the photographer Christoph Bangert, Peter Bitzer of laif and Elke Grittmann, Professor for Communication Studies at the University of Augsburg.

I wrote more about the topic in German language for the press blog of Deutsche Welle.

Bangladesh - women moves with children after Cyclone Aila hits, Picture: Oxfam International

Another way to symbolize climate change is to show humans that suffer from the effects of it. Here is for example a picture of a family that is effected by the cyclone Aila. Those pictures naturally cause compassion – and it is always a tough decision whether it is right or wrong to play on one’s heart strings. In matters of climate change (at least the one we have been talking about lately) it must be said that there are floodings in Bangladesh since centuries already.

Rescued Katrina victims on Coast Guard helicopter (CG photo) by johnmcq (Flickr)

Still it is important to show those who are suffering from the effects of extreme wheather – as it is our first reference that makes us understand what is happening. So as soon as certain ethical borders are not crossed, pictures of victims are a legitmate means.

grangemouth
Originally uploaded by _gee_

There are many phenomenons in our changing environment that cannot securely be classified whether they are caused by human-made global warming or by climate change that happens naturally.

So one of the safest possiblities to get the message of global warming across is to display one of the causers of climate change – in this case it is the industry and its emission of carbon dioxide.

Industrial chimneys are probably the most impressive objects in that regard – here we can even see a very pleasing, almost romantic version of stacks.

However it is not only the industry that is responsible for the world climate, it is also the trillions of cars that are run by indiviuals. Still very impressive pictures to show – especially if it takes place in an environment that seems to smell through your computer monitor. But fog is not necessarily a phenomenon that is primarily connected to global climate change but rather a local weather occurence. Here is a picture showing smog in London in the early Ninetees.

A cow [15/365]
by Dave Wild // publicenergy.co.uk’s (via Flickr)

Some months ago I had the chance to design the key visual for the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum 2010. As the title “The Heat Is On – Climate Change and the Media” reveals, subject of the conference is our global environment which is heating up. Now as there are some problems in credibility recently (remember the hacked e-mails from a British University where scientist showed that they are ready to “tune up” statistics to keep the topic of climate change “hot” or the falling-down of climate star Al Gore’s respectability) it is even more important to picture the subject-matter in an objective manner. Let’s have a look on the approaches that exist to visualize climate change.

Within the next I will typify different approaches to the subject.