About the Session

Communication and empathy are buzz words on a job application. They are personal skills that any new graduate throws at the top of their resume before they get to the nitty gritty of what they can really do. And yet, despite being so universally claimed, the true skills of communication and empathy are often lacking when it comes to policy-making and environmental action.  The reality is that public communication is often an essential aspect of environmental problem solving. It brings local knowledge, enables the recruitment of dedicated local stewards and it proactively prevents unforeseen problems later down the line of projects.  This session explores the literature around environmental communication and public engagement policy, presents thesis research about what the public really want when it comes to communication, and then goes on to discuss how to better communicate environmental policymaking to improve its chances of success.

About the Speaker

Max Winpenny Teacher of Science Crofton House School Max is an energetic and passionate advocate for closing the gap between environmental awareness and environmental change.In an ideal world for conservationists, nature takes priority. However, humans inhabit this world too, so they need to be considered when conservation projects are established. A combined approach of environmental awareness and social welfare should be taken to ensure the success of conservation. His personal objective is to give people a sense of ownership over the environment by creating community management schemes within environmental programs. In his presentation, this ownership comes in the context of 'rewilding' proposals. A combination of his Master's in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London, and 3 years of teaching experience has given Max a unique perspective in how to engage and educate communities in order to instigate positive change.

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