[Joint Statement by Weather Forecasters and Weather Casters on the Climate Crisis] Full statement and the list of 44 supporters

“Communicating the Connection between Extreme Weather and Climate Change”. – Meteorologists and weather casters can be a bridge to improve public understanding of the climate crisis

As climate change becomes more and more serious, weather forecasts and news reports could provide a great opportunity to the viewers to become aware of the causes of the extreme weather. On June 5, “World Environment Day”, weather forecasters and weather casters throughout Japan have issued the “Joint Statement of Weather Forecasters and Weather Casters on the Climate Crisis”.

▶️Press Release of the Joint Statement
▶️Full text of the joint statement and list of supporters (PDF)

◆ [Joint Statement by Meteorologists and Weather Casters on the Climate Crisis] Full text

[Joint Statement by Weather Forecasters and Weather Casters on the Climate Crisis]
“Communicating the Connection between Extreme Weather and Climate Change”. ～Meteorologists and weather casters can be a bridge to improve public understanding of the climate crisis〜

[Joint Statement Message]
Many of the weather forecasters and weather casters have a sense of crisis about climate change. We will accelerate actions to improve understanding of the climate change issues, aiming to “communicate the connection, whenever there is a connection, between extreme weather and climate change”. We will strengthen our partnerships and cooperation with experts and media, and weather forecasters and weather casters will become a bridge to communicating the climate crisis.

■ Background of the statement: Now that it is possible to provide scientific evidence.
Extreme weather caused by global warming, such as extreme heat, torrential rains, floods, and droughts, is already causing extensive damage in many parts of the world, and has become a serious problem that threatens our livelihoods, food and agriculture.

The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report*1 clearly states that “there is no doubt that human influence has contributed to global warming” and assesses with a high degree of confidence the impact of human activities on weather extremes. In recent years, studies of event attribution*2 by the Meteorological Research Institute and others have begun to reveal causal links between specific weather events and climate change.

■ Importance of media to deliver information
According to a Yale University survey*3 , approximately 70% of the world’s population wants information on how to solve climate change, and in Japan, 55% of respondents answered that climate change is “very/extremely important” while only 12% answered “not important’’. Another survey*4 shows that only 33.6% of respondents are taking action to “decarbonize,” indicating that they are interested but have not yet taken action. In addition, according to the Cabinet Office’s “Public Opinion Survey on Climate Change” 2023*5, more than 90% of respondents obtained information on the effects of climate change from TV and radio, indicating the importance of conveying information correctly through the media.

■ The significance and challenges of what weather forecasters and weather casters to communicate
Weather forecasters and weather casters are familiar to viewers/readers and are in a position to convey information on a daily basis. In a survey*6 asking “Who would raise interest in the climate crisis if called upon to do so?” Weather casters were rated second only to scientists and professional organizations, and play an important role in sharing information with society at large.

In a survey of 130 weather forecasters and weather casters active nationwide, “more than 90% of respondents answered that they have a sense of urgency about climate change in weather information” and “more than 80% of respondents answered that more should be communicated about climate change in weather information. On the other hand, some of the reasons for the difficulties in communicating climate change during weather forecast were identified: “limited airtime,” “too technical and difficult,” and “lack of interest among viewers/readers and within the company.

■ Future initiatives, including collaboration with the media
The climate campaign “1.5°C Promise – Act now to stop the temperature rise” by the United Nations Information Center and the media is now in its third year, with 160 companies participating, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and online media from all over the country. Weather forecasters and weather casters are joining this media movement to make climate change a personal matter and to communicate solutions to the problem. In the future, in order to solve problems such as securing broadcasting slots, we will actively accept proposals from interested media personnel and increase understanding in the field and throughout the newsroom. In addition, we will also share information with experts both in Japan and abroad and work together to “communicate the connection between extreme weather and climate change,” to deepen public understanding and contribute to making the climate crisis a personal matter and changing behavior.

*1 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/cpdinfo/ipcc/ar6/IPCC_AR6_WGI_SPM_JP.pdf
*2 Climate change attribution is the study of whether, or to what degree, human influence may have contributed to extreme climate or weather events（Christidis et al. , 2013）
*3https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/international-public-opinion-climate-change-2023-appendix.pdf
*4 https://www.hakuhodo.co.jp/news/newsrelease/108914/
*5 gairyaku.pdf (gov-online.go.jp)（2023）
*6 Impact survey of the UN and media climate change campaign “1.5℃ Pledge”

6/5/2024
Weather forecasters and weather casters calling for the initiative and all supporters

呼びかけ人・賛同人：
井田寛子　　　気象キャスターネットワーク
正木明　　　　朝日放送「おはよう朝日です」

賛同人：
近藤肇　　　　北海道放送ウェザーセンター
児玉晃　　　　北海道放送ウェザーセンター
伊藤真梨子　　北海道放送ウェザーセンター
菅井貴子　　　北海道文化放送
今野桂吾　　　東北放送報道制作局ｔｂｃ気象台　
斉田季実治　　NHK「ニュースウオッチ９」出演中
片山美紀　　　NHK「首都圏ネットワーク」出演中
伊藤みゆき　　NHKラジオセンター
福田寛之　　　NHKラジオセンター
寺川奈津美　　NHKラジオセンター
南利幸　　　　南気象予報士事務所　代表取締役
広瀬駿　　　　南気象予報士事務所
渕岡友美　　　南気象予報士事務所
山神明理　　　日本テレビ「Day Day.」出演中
服部由佳　　　日本テレビ「日テレNEWS２４」「ストレイトニュース」
森田正光　　　TBS「Nスタ」出演中
増田雅昭 TBS「THE TIME,」出演中
國本未華　　　TBS「Nスタ」出演中
天達武史　　　フジテレビ「めざまし８」出演中
今村涼子　　　テレビ朝日「スーパーJチャンネル」出演中
水越祐一　　　テレビ朝日「大下容子ワイド！スクランブル」出演中
河津真人　　　ウェザーマップ
東海林克江　　J-WAVE
名倉直美　　　気象キャスターネットワーク
久能木百香　　気象予報士
渡部圭吾　　　静岡朝日テレビ「とびっきり！しずおか」
寺尾直樹　　　NHK名古屋「まるっと！」
桜沢信司　　　CBCテレビ「チャント！」
福島智之　　　東海テレビ「ニュースONE」
吉田ジョージ　東海テレビ「スイッチ！」
長村真里　　　北陸朝日放送「ふむふむ」
蓬莱大介　　　読売テレビ気象キャスター
片平敦　　　　関西テレビ「newsランナー」
塩見泰子　　　南気象予報士事務所
塚原美緒　　　広島テレビ
岩永哲　　　　中国放送ウェザーセンター
中島望　　　　NHK岡山放送局
石川博康　　　山陰放送
津村研太　　　愛媛朝日テレビ　
吉竹顕彰　　　NHK福岡ニュース「ロクいち！福岡」出演中
浅川かがり　　鹿児島放送
山崎秀樹　　　日本気象予報士会

Total in 44　※This is a joint statement by individuals, and no media outlets or affiliated organizations are affiliated with this statement.

Contact：
weatherforecaster.climate@gmail.com（Organizer: Weather caster, Hiroko Ida）
contact@media-is-hope.org（Support：Media is Hope, Yoshizo Nishida/Yuka Natori）

Activity Report: https://media-is-hope.org/en/news/236/

Media Coverage: https://media-is-hope.org/en/news/238/