Can and Should PR Change the Mass-Mediated Climate Debate? Theoretical Remarks on Risk Perception, Uncertainty and Crisis Communication

Sievert, Holger; Rhomberg, Markus

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Can and Should PR Change the Mass-Mediated Climate Debate? Theoretical Remarks on Risk Perception, Uncertainty and Crisis Communication

EUPRERA Annual Congress 2010, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, September 23, 2010

30 Pages Posted: 23 Sep 2010 Last revised: 28 Nov 2010

See all articles by Holger Sievert

Holger Sievert

Macromedia University of Applied Sciences; Technical University Munich; University of Florida - College of Journalism & Communication; University of Cambridge

Markus Rhomberg

Zeppelin University

Date Written: September 1, 2010

Abstract

Climate change provides one of the major communicative challenges for 21st century political leadership. This paper analyses how government communication can contribute to or hinder a communicative approach to the issue and the risks and uncertainties involved. The authors then go on to extend their analysis of and recommendations for government communication from this one issue to general decision making and system integration as function of public communication. The final part of the paper analyses how modern PR theory could be helpful in the positive development of government communication in the future.

Keywords: government communication, climate change, PR theory

JEL Classification: Z00

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Sievert, Holger and Rhomberg, Markus, Can and Should PR Change the Mass-Mediated Climate Debate? Theoretical Remarks on Risk Perception, Uncertainty and Crisis Communication (September 1, 2010). EUPRERA Annual Congress 2010, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, September 23, 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1681041