User:Cecilia226/Environmental Communication Theory

Environmental communication is "the implementation of information dissemination and communication practices related to the environment". Today it is a broad field that explains from a variety of perspectives how research and practice on topics related to the environment interact and how cultural products influence societal attitudes towards environmental issues. Environmental communication also encompasses human interaction with the environment.

Within this broad definition there are many different types of communication, from sustainability marketing to public relations announcements about environmental risks to arguments made by politicians on issues such as global warming, pollution, water scarcity and agricultural practices. Environmental communication is closely linked to science communication, often using scientific research to confirm or refute arguments about environmental issues. The mission of environmental communication is to investigate and publicise issues affecting the natural world, and the role of humans in environmental protection and resource management.

As with communication in general, environmental communication serves two broad social functions. The first is that we use communication to do things. For example, we communicate to inform, persuade, educate and remind others. Similarly, we use communication to organise, to argue, to reconcile and to negotiate with each other, and so on. In this way, environmental communication is a practical, indeed essential, tool for action. As such, it deserves careful scrutiny.