Developing an Interactive Data Visualization Tool to Inspire Climate-Related Philanthropy

Abstract:

There has been an unprecedented emerging interest in climate-related philanthropy over the past year. However, providing newcomers the introductory information needed for philanthropic decision-making – in a simple and compelling way – can be challenging for an issue as vast and diverse as climate change.

Inspired by the storytelling that the New York Times was doing daily with their COVID-19 reporting, an interdisciplinary team of scientists, communications experts, and fundraising professionals at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) developed an interactive website to introduce prospective climate philanthropists to the climate change problem and its solutions {https://climatesolutions.edf.org/}. The team at EDF combined original science with storytelling techniques to produce an interactive data visualization tool that lets users experience how different climate interventions contribute to climate stability, both during our lifetimes and for generations to come.

The project is a success story in two ways. First, it is an example of how scientists and non-scientists can collaborate to build an effective tool that would otherwise not have been possible without the interdisciplinary expertise from the collective group. Second, it is a successful demonstration of balancing nuanced science with visual simplicity in a way that clearly and quickly answers key climate change questions such as where are we headed, what is causing it, and what do we need to do to? The team plans to use this experience to empower others to pursue similar efforts.