Joshua Ettinger

Seizing the teachable moment: Extreme weather events as catalysts for climate change dialogue, learning, and action

Josh's interdisciplinary doctoral research explores the notion of 'teachable moments' in the wake of extreme weather events. In particular, he is examining the potential role of extreme event attribution in helping galvanize support among the public for climate action by connecting human-driven climate change to specific extreme weather events.

Prior to Oxford, he worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in a variety of roles, including as a senior communications associate, science and policy program assistant, and personal assistant to AAAS CEO Dr Rush Holt. He holds an MSc in Environmental Change and Management from the School of Geography and the Environment, on which he now works as a teaching assistant, and a BA from Hofstra University Honors College. He also runs science storytelling workshops for NGOs, research groups and students based on earlier experiences working in the entertainment industry (e.g., as a production intern at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) and a lifelong passion for screenwriting and filmmaking.

Journal Articles

• Ettinger, J., McGivern, A., Spiegel, M.P., King, B., Shawoo, Z., Chapin, A. and Finnegan, W. (2023) Breaking the climate spiral of silence: lessons from a COP26 climate conversations campaign. Climatic Change, 176(22).
• Ettinger, J., Otto, F.E.L. and Schipper, F.L. (2021) Storytelling Can Be a Powerful Tool for Science. Nature, 589: 352.
• Ettinger, J., Walton, P., Painter, J. and DiBlasi, T. (2021) Climate of Hope or Doom and Gloom: Should We Scare or Inspire the Public into Action? Climatic Change, 164: 19.
• Ettinger, J., Walton, P., Painter, J., Osaka, S. and Otto, F.E.L. (2021) "What's Up with the Weather?" Public Engagement with Extreme Event Attribution in the UK. Weather, Climate and Society, 13(2): 341-352.
• Painter, J., Ettinger, J., Doutreix, M.N., Strauss, N., Wonneberger, A., Walton, P. (2021) Is it climate change? Coverage by online news sites of the 2019 European summer heatwaves in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK. Climatic Change, 169(4).
• Strauss, N., Painter, J., Ettinger, J., Doutreix, M.N., Wonneberger, A., Walton, P. (2021) Reporting on the 2019 European Heatwaves and Climate Change: Journalists' Attitudes, Motivations and Role Perceptions. Journalism Practice.
• Ettinger, J. (2020) What Hollywood can teach researchers about scientific storytelling. Nature Careers Community (Online).
• Painter, J., Osaka, S., Ettinger, J. and Walton, P. (2020) Blaming climate change? How Indian mainstream media covered two extreme weather events in 2015. Global Environmental Change, 63. 102119.

Other Publications

• Environmentalists: Be Careful with Climate and Coronavirus Rhetoric (Inkline, March 2020)
• Tony Juniper on the Past, Present and Future of Environmental Advocacy (Anthroposphere, the Oxford Climate Review, February 2019)
• Hope, Fear and the Extinction Rebellion (Climate Outreach, January 2019)
• Evidence-based Storytelling: How Screenwriting Principles Can Enhance Environmental Communication (Anthroposphere, the Oxford Climate Review, April 2018)