In a video from the North Queensland Conservation Council, prominent marine scientist Professor Charlie Vernon talks about the dangers of inaction on climate change while a kitten called "fluffy" plays on toy machinery.
"The single biggest source of global warming comes from burning coal," Prof Vernon says in the video.
Prof Vernon, a former chief scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science, told SBS communicating scientific messages to the general public can be difficult.
While the cat video was not his idea, Prof Vernon hoped his message about climate change might reach a wider audience.
"I'm certainly aware that people don't listen to science," he said.
He admitted that a cat video would turn him off, but it's not intended to communicate with audiences already informed about the dangers of climate change inaction.
Years ago Prof Vernon attended a conference but about how to communicate with people.
“It’s not about the science anymore, that’s been done,” Prof Vernon said.
He said an even greater threat than climate change was the acidification of oceans.
Ocean acidification is not a result of climate change. It occurs when carbon dioxide from burning coal and other fossil fuels is absorbed into the oceans.
That process means coral reefs can not form, which could cause ecosystems to collapse and threatens life on earth, he said.
People would turn off when conversation turned to ocean acidification, he said.
At the end of the climate change video, Prof Vernon revealed Fluffy’s role.
“You’re still watching.”
Share
