There is a growing body of thought around the importance of visualizing the impacts and potential responses to climate change. Thinkers in this realm argue that we are a visual culture and we process and understand concepts best when they are presented through images, charts and infographics.
A simple example of this comes from Bloomberg Business, which has published a visualization showing how different causal factors contribute to global warming. The animated chart depicts the extent of both human and natural causes of climate change and highlights the overwhelming influence of anthropogenic greenhouse gasses.
The BC Hydro Decision Theatre at the University of British Columbia is an example of how visualizing data can be taken to the next level – engaging audiences through interactive visualizations of the impacts resulting from mitigation and adaptation decisions. The theatre is an empty room with white walls that can display projected data and images, immersing the audience/participants in rich visualizations. As this video explains, visualizing the information fosters a deeper understanding of complex processes and relationships and helps decision makers, stakeholders and citizens understand their role in responding to climate change.