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<strong>Potsdam</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Climate</strong> Impact Research in the Public Eye Public interest in global change, especially in the changing climate, remains high. The number of articles on the <strong>Potsdam</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Climate</strong> Impact Research appearing in the press over the last two years, suggests even that a tremendous growth in public interest has taken place. While some 400 articles appeared in the years 1998 and 1999, nearly double so many – 720 – appeared in <strong>2000</strong> and <strong>2001</strong>. This figure represents only those articles in our records, taking into account no online publications and only a percentage of those in the <strong>for</strong>eign press. Additionally, conversations with people outside the institute make evident that the institute’s media presence is well recognized. Though the focus of our public relations is, in the first instance, quality rather than quantity, the institute is indeed well represented with an average of one newspaper article per day. Media interest was particularly high in early summer <strong>2001</strong>, during the negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol and with the appearance of the IPCC <strong>Report</strong> on the climate and climate impact, in which a number of the institute’s scientists played a significant role. The events of September 11, <strong>2001</strong>, caused a noticeable shift of media interest to other issues. Though these recent trends do not fall within the period covered by this report, the gradual shift of media interest back to climate change was anticipated in the first half of 2002 and appears to be returning to a level typical of the last few years. Moreover, the media appears to be conveying an increasingly more complex understanding of climate change, indicating that the message from scientists concerning the complexity of the Earth system and the compelling relationship between global warming and environmental problems is reaching more publishers and “sinking in” to more heads. Media interest revolves less and less on the question of whether or not the weather last Tuesday had anything to do with global warming. The public no longer appears to want a simplified understanding of scientific questions and answers. Increasingly, it tends to recognize the probabilistic character of climate and climate impact research and does not shy away when complex and thus more complicated issues are raised, which cannot be addressed with a simple “yes” or “no”. This holds true <strong>for</strong> schools, organizations, individuals and politicians who come to us <strong>for</strong> materials, lectures and consultations. Margret Boysen, <strong>PIK</strong>´s Public Relations Manager and Main Editor of the <strong>Biennial</strong> <strong>Report</strong>. The growth in public concern on global warming and climate change can be readily observed in the press and public relations office. The numerous public lectures held by institute scientists has certainly contributed to this growth. Yet this is a trend that could all too readily come to an end as a result of one or another shift in political relations, which strongly influence the media. Despite its considerable success, our public relations ef<strong>for</strong>ts in the area of television have proved difficult. With the exception of interviews (in <strong>2000</strong>-<strong>2001</strong> the institute was represented in more than a hundred radio and television interviews), TV’s hunger <strong>for</strong> pictures cannot always be satisfied. Given its limited resources, the work of the institute gives preference to model calculation rather than the visualization of research results. Moreover, scenarios developed by the institute are not prophecies. We are often concerned that catastrophic images of the future only fulfil the need <strong>for</strong> sensation and fear and, in the long run, will have no impact upon viewers. The <strong>Potsdam</strong> <strong>Institute</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Climate</strong> Impact Research thus strives continuously to awaken public interest in the fascinating, intricate relationships involved in environmental research. These are complex interrelationships which must first be mastered cognitively, not tactilely or visually. Even when the visual is clearly desirable, it is not of <strong>for</strong>emost concern <strong>for</strong> the institute. Our press release on stochastic resonance as a trigger <strong>for</strong> extreme temperature fluctuations during the last ice age demonstrates that even complicated subjects are well received by newspapers and their readers. The number of German articles at six was rather low, but the quality of the articles in view of their complexity was surprisingly good. 111
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Impressum Publisher Potsdam Institu
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The New High-Performance Computer 9
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The First 10 Years By Udo E. Simoni
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Understanding the Earth system is a
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The Institute and its Mission
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major contributions from the Europe
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Five Scientific Departments to Adva
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Global Change & Natural Systems Hea
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Integrated Systems Analysis Co-Head
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Research
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Table 1: Internal Contest of Ideas
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Catalogue of TOOLs INTEGRATED SYSTE
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Research Questions • How do we de
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Model Structure and Design The desi
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investigate the effect of uncertain
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Publications 2000 Publications, pee
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Republic, IHP-V, Technical Document