From 24 to 26 September 2025, the ExtremWetterKongress took place in Hamburg together with the Climate Management Conference. Representatives from science, politics, administration, business, and the media discussed the latest research findings on climate change, possible adaptation strategies, and the role of communication.
Our colleague Sophia Schüller presented a poster from the BMBF-funded project R2K-Klima+. Under the title “Translating Science: Target Group-Specific Communication of Climate Adaptation in the R2K-Klima+ Project”, she demonstrated how research results can be tailored for different audiences – from policymakers to the general public.
The congress also featured in the tagesschau (link). Experts issued urgent warnings that extreme weather events will continue to increase in frequency and intensity. A recurring theme throughout the event was the question of how climate change can be communicated effectively.
“Even if the facts are screaming – people don’t want to be screamed at,” emphasized Maik Menser (RTL Climate Update). Instead of confrontation, many experts recommend storytelling formats that connect different experiences – ranging from personal conversations about individual concerns to popular formats such as true crime podcasts.
The discussions in Hamburg highlighted once again: science communication is not a by-product but a prerequisite for research to have an impact. Different groups require different forms of communication, visuals, and formats. Only then can results not only be understood but also applied. The central challenge lies in reaching a very diverse audience – which is why a mix of formats is recommended.
In the R2K-Klim+ project, climate impacts on people, infrastructure, the environment, and the economy are being modeled for the city of Duisburg. These complex results are then systematically translated for different target groups:
- For policymakers: in the form of management summaries with concise recommendations for action
- For the public: in the form of easily understandable posters with visuals and explanations
Participation in the ExtremWetterKongress provided FiW with the opportunity to present its approaches to a broad professional audience and at the same time gain new insights for communicating climate adaptation.
From 24 to 26 September 2025, the Extreme Weather Congress, „back to back“ took place in Hamburg with the Climate Management Conference. The conference brought together representatives from science, politics, administration, business and the media. The focus was on current research findings on climate change, possible adaptation strategies and climate communication.