WHAT’S SO FUNNY ABOUT A GLOBAL EMERGENCY?
Nothing, but an occasional light touch, done well, is appreciated all around. Humor can engage an audience quickly, and it can help us better understand science and its impact on people and society. Lightening up on this subject doesn’t mean letting up: adding charm to the message can deliver it more effectively. 

Unfortunately, climate change is intensely politicized, especially in the US. Humor creates space. When you laugh with someone, in that moment you agree. Humor can lower defenses and helps meet people where they are. 

Here at the 51 Percent Project, we collect standout examples of humor being used to help people better understand climate change—and to expose science detractors and deniers. Check out Oblivia Coleman from Make My Money Matter, whose founder says “We wanted to bring the message to life in a way that feels like you’re not being lectured at, but talked to like you would talk to friends and family.” Everybody’s funny bone is different, but we think this overwhelmed dude is hilarious, from Adam McKay’s prolific Yellow Dot Studios.

Satirists like Andrew Borowitz of The New Yorker and the late-night TV hosts provide regular examples of humor’s ability to restore perspective, and hope.

In a rare show of coordination, late-night hosts decided to focus on climate change during the run-up to the 2021 UN General Assembly. Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, James Corden, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and Trevor Noah united across networks on Sept. 22 for "Climate Night," focusing their programming on climate change.


 

See Bill Nye the Science Guy's F-bomb on John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight. Nye is a quintessential "Trusted Messenger” for generations of viewers.

John Oliver’s famous “Are there Hats?” rant. N.B. the Scientific Consensus on global warming figures prominently.

 
 

Jimmy Kimmel hosts two kids who explain Climate Change for a skeptical President. N.B. kids are Trusted Messengers too.

Jimmy Kimmel hosts George Clooney for a climate conversation. 

 
 

Weekend Update, Saturday Night Live. Anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, including the United Nations' report on climate change.

 
 

For Green Great Britain Week, ClimateAdam shares his thoughts on how NOT to talk about climate change.

 

Academic note:

Comedy can blast “new routes to ‘knowing’ about climate change, overcoming often sober or gloomy scientific assessments through experiential, narrative, emotive and relatable storytelling…. findings show promise in the exploration of comedy for [people] to process emotions that allow joy, fun and hope to sustain their commitment to grow as climate communicators…. Comedic communications about climate change increase salience of climate change and expose audiences to new ways of learning about associated threats, challenges and opportunities.”

A Laughing Matter? Confronting climate change through humor, Boykoff, M., Political Geography, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2018.09.006. Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Colorado Boulder. Cf. Inside the Greenhouse, a program at CU Boulder for undergraduate and graduate students.