COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY2.2.2The Annual JSC SessionThe annual JSC Session is the main opportunity for many within the WCRP Community to meet. Boththe length and location of the JSC Session are determined by the JSC, with advice from the WCRPDirector and in accordance with the WCRP budget. The meeting usually runs for between three andfive days and has around 70 participants (76 in 2015; 68 in 2016).1 At the 37th Session of the JSC (JSC37) (2016) the time available for presentations, discussion and JSC decision-making was extremelytight. In response it was decided that in future sessions, rather than extend the meeting, WCRP activityleaders would submit short written reports in advance of the JSC Session and limit their talks tothe information needed for JSC decision-making (see Annex IV for the list of communication actionpoints that resulted from JSC-37). Given the cuts to the WCRP budget in 2017, the length and theformat of future JSC Sessions will have to be reassessed. The importance of this meeting to the WCRPCommunity is such that, if possible, the Session should be retained in its current format.2.2.3TeleconferencesTeleconferences can be used for leadership meetings, to ensure good internal communicationwithin a group, or for thematic discussions, where particular ideas or problems are examined by keystakeholders. WCRP primarily uses teleconferences for the former category, although the latter is alsohighly valuable and should be encouraged.Teleconferences within the WCRP Community are important due to the worldwide distribution ofits community members. It is a very efficient way of discussing a lot of information in a set timeframe (given good call management), but it also has limitations. The first is that no matter whattime a call is scheduled, it will be evening or night in one or more time zones. Another is that callsrequire a basic level of technological knowledge and infrastructure. Some people are uncomfortablewith teleconferencing because they do not spend a lot of time working on computers or they feelmore reserved in a teleconference setting because there are no cues regarding when they shouldspeak (cues can be given with good call management, but often are not). If the technical setup ofthe teleconference is not optimal, it can be impossible to successfully connect to the meeting, hearproceedings or be heard.Despite these limitations, which can be minimized with good call preparation and management,teleconferences are highly effective and are more environmentally responsible and affordable thanface-to-face meetings. It was decided at JSC-37 that at least three intersessional teleconferencesshould be held between the JSC, including Core Project involvement, and between Core Project Chairsand Directors (Annex IV) — with Joint Planning Staff involvement. These quarterly teleconferencesappear to have worked well in the last year, although the dates could be set earlier so that all thoseinvolved can do their best to avoid time conflicts. It would be helpful to provide a set of best practicesfor call hosting and participation and to ensure that participants have access to guides to theinterfaces that they will be using.2.2.4MeetingsIn addition to the annual JSC Session, other meetings also provide an opportunity for members ofthe WCRP community to communicate. This might be meetings organized by WCRP groups or those1 In 2015 and 2016 the 36th and 37th Sessions of the JSC, respectively, were both held in Geneva over three days. The 38th Session of theJSC will be held in Paris, as requested by the International Council for Science as part of the WCRP Sponsor’s Review of 2017, over five days,with the official agenda taking three days and the remainder set aside for committee meetings and other business.12

World Climate Research Programmearranged to coincide with other conferences, particularly the large European Geosciences Union (EGU)General Assembly held in (Vienna) Austria every April and the even larger American Geophysical Union(AGU) Fall Meeting held in the United States of America every December. These are good opportunitiesfor WCRP community members to meet informally.2.2.5Liaisons, Multiple Memberships and New InvolvementTo ensure different groups within WCRP are aware of developments in other groups, liaisons betweengroups are often assigned. A liaison is a person who communicates between two groups to bettercoordinate their activities and/or improve the understanding between them. This can be very effectiveas long as the individual reports well to both groups. It can also be time consuming, as to reportwell to both groups requires a time commitment to both. There are also many leaders in the WCRPCommunity who are members of multiple committees, which is only prohibited at JSC level. This aidsinternal communication between the groups concerned and WCRP are extremely fortunate to havesuch hard-working community members. However, multiple links between groups raises the questionof whether additional individuals from the wider research community could rather be included.The WCRP Communication Survey (2017) included comments that WCRP was a ‘closed shop’and that it was not clear how to get involved. The survey report recommends to “provide greatertransparency of leadership selection criteria and clearer mechanisms for Programme involvement”.This requires clearer and more streamlined practices on how to get involved and better reporting ofthe opportunities available.2.2.6WCRP Community ResourcesThe WCRP community does not have specific web collaboration tools, but uses a combination ofemailing, Google Drive, Google Sheets, Google Docs, Dropbox and similar online platforms. TheWCRP JPS and Core Projects all use Google Calendar to list upcoming events. The Google CommunityCalendar is available on the WCRP and Core Project websites.In recent months community resources web pages have been added to the WCRP Website. At the timeof writing these pages contain a template for WCRP reports, guidelines for WCRP report writing, WCRPlogos and the WCRP data policy. There are plans to add a WCRP overview presentation (MicrosoftPowerpoint), travel funding information, frequently asked questions and other useful resources.The WCRP community does not currently have online collaboration tools. A comment in the WCRPCommunication Survey stated that “common web based tools, calendars, other services, available forplanning purposes” would be useful. Indeed there is much potential for online collaboration, althoughthe costs associated with the application software are potentially limiting.2.3Recommendations for 2017-2020As discussed in the introduction, a major cut in the 2017 WCRP budget requires that communicationimprovements be financially conservative. Recommendations are to: Provide a community-wide mailing list to provide more targeted and regular updates. Thenames of those on the mailing list can be open to all members to aid transparency, but themembership of the list is primarily community members. The mailing list could be used to provide13

COMMUNICATION STRATEGYupdates about decision-making and opportunities to community members. This would improvecommunity connectiveness and Programme transparency. If this mailing list were to includeall those involved in Core Project panels and projects, it would also improve communicationbetween the WCRP Secretariat and the wider community of WCRP researchers. Retain the annual JSC Session without significant reduction in its size or number of participants.This is due to its importance to community leaders as the only face-to-face opportunity to meet. Set up informal WCRP meetings, over coffee or dinner, at the EGU General Assembly and AGU FallMeeting, and other meetings as appropriate Maintain quarterly teleconference calls between WCRP leadership groups and provide a set ofbest practices for call hosting and participation and guides to call interfaces Investigate and report on the structure of WCRP groups to assess the role of liaisons, multiplegroup membership and the need for attracting new members into the community Determine clearer and more streamlined policies and practices for how researchers can becomeinvolved in WCRP. The criteria for membership of WCRP groups should be outlined and selectionprocesses for membership should be transparent. New ‘how to get involved in WCRP’ informationshould be publicized Programme-wide on websites, newsletters and social media. Expand the community resources pages on the WCRP website to include more information andresources for community members‘Blue sky targets’ for 2017-2020 are to: Plan and support WCRP events for community members, also aimed to draw in researchersexternal to WCRP, at major meetings, such as the EGU General Assembly and AGU Fall Meeting Implement an online portal for community members to collaborate and share information14

World Climate Research Programme3 External CommunicationExternal communication, as defined in this Strategy, is the exchange of information between the WorldClimate Research Programme (WCRP) Community and those external to it. External communicationmust be consistent and clear, across all methods of engagement. This requires establishing aneffective brand identity and key communication messages and identifying WCRP audiences.3.1WCRP AudiencesThe primary audience of WCRP is its research community (Section 2.1). However, there are many otheraudiences that are important to the success of the Programme. These are: Researchers and early career researchers who are not involved in WCRP activities Sponsor organizations, national contributors and potential funders Strategic partners Organizations with connections to climate and climate change Climate services and other climate data users Educators Policy makers and government representatives Members of the publicHow WCRP communicates with these groups depends on whether the dialogue involved is oneway or two-way and what message is being conveyed. Communication that is one-way has a directimpact on the audience, but the effect that it has on WCRP is indirect and harder to determine. TheWCRP newsletter and website, conference presentations (except for question time) and scientificpublications are all examples of one-way communication. Successful one-way communication relieson information being presented clearly and concisely (see Section 3.2 on brand identity) and that it iseffectively tailored to the right audience.Two-way communication has a direct impact on all participants involved in the dialogue. The annualJoint Scientific Committee (JSC) Session, teleconferences, email and meeting discussions areexamples of two-way communication. Effective two-way communication relies on open and willinginvolvement in the dialogue. This is partly governed by the perceived benefits of the exchange, butmay also be affected by the personalities and experiences of those involved.It is in WCRP’s interest to seek two-way communication with a wide range of stakeholders. Thecurrent funding situation means that WCRP needs to look for additional sponsorship or seek fundingfor specific activities or events. The Programme needs to showcase its successes and the value of its15

COMMUNICATION STRATEGYcommunity’s skills and products. A recent report, ‘Scoping a framework for WCRP regional activities’(WCRP, 2016), identified the need for WCRP to understand the needs of users of climate information. Itstated “the scope of WCRP activities does not include climate services, but includes providing sciencebased, reliable and locally relevant information on which climate services and impact assessmentscan be built.” The report advocates bridging the gaps between data producers and data users, andbetween research science and operational services. The same can be said for bridging the gapbetween the climate research community and policy makers, national governments, those involvedin the adaptation and mitigation of climate change and the general public. WCRP is perhaps the onlyProgramme that can effectively bridge those gaps, as it is the voice of the climate research communityand also has the legitimacy and connections to communicate on a world stage.3.2WCRP Brand IdentityA brand identity is how an organization or business is perceived. The components of the brand (suchas logo, typefaces, colors, personality, and more) reflect the values of the organization and convey theessence of what the organization stands for. A strong brand delivers a clear and credible message andconnects with its audience at an emotional level, motivating and reinforcing loyalty.The brand identity of WCRP has a clear logo and colors, as can be seen on the cover page of this report,the WCRP website and in the WCRP Newsletter. The voice with which WCRP communicates dependson its target audience. Reports and website pages aimed at the WCRP research community necessarilyuse some technical language. However, newsletters and web pages aimed at a more general audienceshould not. WCRP’s brand personality is trustworthy, professional and approachable. It includesthe WCRP values shown in Figure 3.1. These are: accountability, approachability, bottom-up, clarity,consistency, integration, legitimacy and transparency.The community resources pages on the WCRP website provide publication templates and guidelinesto allow reports to be presented with WCRP branding in mind. It should be noted that it is not arequirement for publications to use the template (such as the case of this report), in which case WCRPcolors and typefaces should be used to create a product that clearly follows the WCRP brand. CoreProject publications need not follow the WCRP brand, as the individual identities of the Core Projectsare an important part of their own brands.Presentations by members of the WCRP community on WCRP and its activities should take advantageof the WCRP Microsoft Powerpoint template (soon to be available on the WCRP website). These slideshave been prepared with full involvement of leaders within the WCRP community and allow thepresenter to mix and match information as appropriate for individual talks.3.3Key WCRP Communication MessagesAll communication by the WCRP community is based around a set of key messages. These are:1.Key successes and impacts from WCRP activities2.Recent progress on urgent climate challenges3.The importance of WCRP modelling activities as the basis for research and assessments16

World Climate Research ProgrammeCOMMUNICATION E 3.1WCRP COMMUNICATION VALUES: Accountability - Actions speak louder than words. We take full account of our behavior aswell as our words. We reduce our carbon footprint, as responsible Climate Scientists andrepresentatives of WCRP. Approachability - While our scientific work is professional in format, our newsletters, websitenews items, social media updates and informal email correspondence uses a more friendly andapproachable tone. Bottom-up - The success of WCRP is based on the enthusiasm and hard work of its researchcommunity. Ongoing dialogue with and full inclusion of the researchers and other stakeholdersin the community is paramount. Clarity - Clear language and simple terms keep audiences interested and engaged. Somereports require technical language, but where possible jargon is avoided. Acronyms are usedsparingly and always explained. Consistency - Key messages are delivered in a coordinated, robust manner withoutcontradictions or omissions. Integration - Internal and external communications are consistent. Sharing informationthroughout the community is encouraged. Legitimacy - Evidence-based reporting and communication show the results of communityeffort and measure the progress that we are making towards our mission. Transparency - All key information regarding WCRP projects, activities and events is madeFigure 3.1. WCRP Values.available on the website. Contact details of staff, project and activity leaders are also listed.17

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY4.The importance of coordinating, collating and sharing climate observations5.Processes and initiatives to identify gaps in our current understanding of climate6.The importance of fostering the next generations of climate scientists7.Opportunities and examples for reducing the carbon footprint of climate scienceWhile we promote these messages across all WCRP activities, the Grand Challenges in particular lendthemselves to communication aimed at those outside of the WCRP Community. The Grand Challengesare areas of climate science where we face major obstacles and where we rely on a concerted effortto make progress. The Challenges are narrow in focus and are able to capture the imagination ofthe general public. A short brochure on the Grand Challenges could be produced to promote urgentclimate challenges and the role of WCRP in addressing them.The first and second key messages outlined above tie into two recommendations of the WCRPCommunication Survey (2017), which are to: (1) “increase Programme visibility” and (2) “showcaseWCRP science findings”. It is not practical to disseminate the results of every study related to WCRPdue to the sheer number of papers published either by the WCRP community or using WCRP products/data. However, it is possible to select key results for strategic dissemination. This is discussed furtherin Section 3.4.3.The importance of modelling and observations as the foundation of WCRP activities is clear. However,links to the products produced by these WCRP groups are deeply hidden on the WCRP website andpresented solely to the members of the community that use them (highly technical language). Whilethis is adequate for the WCRP community, it does not showcase WCRP outcomes or highlight theimportance of these activities (key messages 3 and 4). One solution would to be to create separate‘WCRP products’ pages, that would give an overview of key WCRP products and their application. Nochanges should be made to the location of current product pages, to ensure that external links tothese products are preserved.Connecting with Early Career Researcher (ECR) networks, in WCRP activities, at events and throughsocial media, is beneficial for fostering future leaders in climate scien

A communication strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a set of communication aims or objectives. This communication strategy will build a framework to improve WCRP’s communication by identifying the Programme’s key messages and providing a set of prioritized recommendations and