The American Fisheries Society’s Climate Ambassadors have a tough job. Every day this dedicated group of scientists works to communicate the urgency of maintaining our delicate watery ecosystems and the lives that depend on them. They talk to everyone from fishing communities, to ranch owners, to urban developers, to government officials. And there are times when these conversations are challenging, especially because climate change is rapidly affecting the future of our planet. Talking about climate change impacts is often not easy.
Exact was grateful to work again with the AFS Climate Ambassadors in our Let’s Talk: Navigating Challenging Conversations workshop. We shared tools and skills they can use to better connect with their varied audiences and it was wonderful to see the Ambassadors practice with each other and bond over the fun and challenges of the exercises. With approaches to de-escalate conflict in conversations and find shared values despite ideological differences, these Ambassadors can reach more people who share their love of our valuable waters and can work towards building a climate resilient future together.
