The Environment in Canada Podcast Curating Climate Science, Action, & Emotion with Dr. Soren Brothers
Oct 28, 2025
Dr. Soren Brothers, the Allan and Helaine Schiff Curator of Climate Change at the Royal Ontario Museum, discusses his role in bridging science and public engagement. He explores how emotions impact climate communication, emphasizing the balance of hope and doom. Soren highlights the significance of Crawford Lake in the Anthropocene debate and shares insights on effectively communicating with younger generations. He also delves into the personal and emotional aspects of doing climate science, advocating for local solutions to foster community resilience.
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Museum-Wide Climate Integration
- The ROM integrated climate into many galleries instead of a single climate room to make the whole museum a climate instrument.
- Curator Soren Brothers works across specialties to surface climate narratives from fashion to paleontology.
Match Message To Audience
- Tailor climate communication to audiences: some need stark truth, others need hopeful solutions.
- Emphasize benefits of climate solutions like healthier air and safer streets to reduce resistance.
Solution Fear Can Outweigh Impact Fear
- People often fear the perceived costs of climate solutions more than the climate impacts themselves.
- Communicators should address solution fears by highlighting quality-of-life gains.
