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243 The 4 th International Conference on Magsaysay Awardees: Good Governance and Transformative Leadership in Asia, 31 May 2016 243 Communicating Science-Based Information on Biodiversity and Resilience & Its Potential for Local and National Governance 1 Elena E. Pernia, Professor of Communication and Dean of the College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines, Diliman; Sheila Ruth T. Magdaraog, Graduate student and Research Associate at the College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines. Abstract Because science innovation and human development are mutually reinforcing, it is imperative to educate various sectors of society about the value of science and technology, as well as to correct misinformation, dispel myths, and debunk scams that are presented as pseudoscientific claims. Communication efforts must made to help the public understand the science so that they can make informed decisions. In particular, there is an urgency for public awareness to be created about the science of climate resilience and disaster risk reduction and management. An interdisciplinary program on the twin themes of Resilience and Biodiversity is currently being implemented at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Titled BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE (BAR) R&D, COMMUNICATION AND CAPABILITY- BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE PHILIPPINES, it converges the Science and the Humanities disciplines to address urgent needs for developing and disseminating targeted science-based information intended to catalyze the mind-change necessary to prioritize and help incorporate biodiversity and resilience in key national and local decisions. Keywords: Science-Based Information/ Communication and Capability- Building/ Biodiversity/ Philippines Introduction Man needs science because science benefits man. From the clothes we wear, the food we eat, and the structures we work and live in to the way we gather and share news and information, communicate with each other, and entertain ourselves, science has had a hand in developing. Science needs man because it is the human being - with his logical, observational, and analytical skills - who initiates the inquiry, conducts the experimentation, and concludes with an invention and discovery. Without a doubt, science has contributed to the development of human societies and to man’s understanding of himself and therefore deserves greater public recognition and visibility. Investments in science and technology are vital inputs for any country’s economic growth and poverty alleviation. Watson et al. (2003) note that “advances in scientific and technological knowledge made possible the significant reductions of poverty and improvements in the quality of life in both developed and developing countries throughout the 20th century. In the future, the ability of countries to access, 1 This paper review the program’s efforts, by providing a presentation and discussion of its structure, framework, objectives, communication activities and outputs.

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The 4th

International Conference on Magsaysay Awardees:

Good Governance and Transformative Leadership in Asia, 31 May 2016 243

Communicating Science-Based Information on Biodiversity and

Resilience & Its Potential for Local and National Governance1

Elena E. Pernia, Professor of Communication and Dean of the College of Mass

Communication, University of the Philippines, Diliman; Sheila Ruth T. Magdaraog,

Graduate student and Research Associate at the College of Mass Communication, University

of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines.

Abstract

Because science innovation and human development are mutually reinforcing, it is

imperative to educate various sectors of society about the value of science and

technology, as well as to correct misinformation, dispel myths, and debunk scams that

are presented as pseudoscientific claims. Communication efforts must made to help

the public understand the science so that they can make informed decisions. In

particular, there is an urgency for public awareness to be created about the science of

climate resilience and disaster risk reduction and management.

An interdisciplinary program on the twin themes of Resilience and Biodiversity is

currently being implemented at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Titled

BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE (BAR) R&D, COMMUNICATION AND CAPABILITY-

BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE PHILIPPINES, it converges the Science and the

Humanities disciplines to address urgent needs for developing and disseminating

targeted science-based information intended to catalyze the mind-change necessary to

prioritize and help incorporate biodiversity and resilience in key national and local

decisions.

Keywords: Science-Based Information/ Communication and Capability- Building/

Biodiversity/ Philippines

Introduction

Man needs science because science benefits man. From the clothes we wear, the food

we eat, and the structures we work and live in to the way we gather and share news

and information, communicate with each other, and entertain ourselves, science has

had a hand in developing. Science needs man because it is the human being - with his

logical, observational, and analytical skills - who initiates the inquiry, conducts the

experimentation, and concludes with an invention and discovery.

Without a doubt, science has contributed to the development of human societies and

to man’s understanding of himself and therefore deserves greater public recognition

and visibility. Investments in science and technology are vital inputs for any country’s

economic growth and poverty alleviation. Watson et al. (2003) note that “advances in

scientific and technological knowledge made possible the significant reductions of

poverty and improvements in the quality of life in both developed and developing

countries throughout the 20th century. In the future, the ability of countries to access,

1This paper review the program’s efforts, by providing a presentation and discussion of its structure,

framework, objectives, communication activities and outputs.

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comprehend, select, adapt, and use scientific and technological knowledge will

increasingly be the determinant of material well-being and quality of life.”

Clearly, it is imperative to create a public awareness of science, so that citizens can

make informed decisions, as well as to correct misinformation, dispel myths, and

debunk scams that are presented as pseudoscientific claims. In the area of disaster

science, particularly, hazard awareness saves lives and property, protects crops and

livelihoods, reduces risks at the same time strengthens recovery and resilience. In

other words, science awareness makes safer communities possible.

This is especially necessary for a country like the Philippines which has a high

exposure to natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and droughts. An

archipelago of 7,107 islands, the Philippines “lies in the typhoon belt of the Pacific

and has a seismically active mountainous terrain with narrow to extensive coastal

lowlands”. Moreover, the Philippines is one of the world’s mega-diverse countries,

which “(o)n a per unit area basis … harbors more diversity of life than any other

country on the planet.”2 At the same time, however, it is a biodiversity hotspot

because these “marine and wildlife riches are under threat” of extinction “because of

intrusive man-made activities” like overexploitation, deforestation, land degradation,

climate change, and pollution.

Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology

(PHIVOLCS), speaking at a forum on climate change and disaster preparedness

noted, “What we need is to bring down science to a broader level of understanding

and let ordinary people and local chief executives appreciate”3 how they can

safeguard themselves against hazards.

But whose job is it to communicate the correct science of biodiversity and resilience

to general audiences? Communicating science-based information has always been a

challenge to science practitioners. Scientists, who are prolific generators of

innovations and writers of technical reports, often do not have the skills set to do this.

Gunter et al. (1990) pointed out that “(w)hile scientists are thoroughly trained in

research methodologies, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate with other

scientists, they usually receive no explicit training in the communication of scientific

concepts to a lay audience.”

It is in this context that this paper reviews the communication strategies used to create

science awareness about disaster risk reduction and mitigation (DRRM) in the

Philippines. Specifically, this paper looks into the BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE

(BAR) R&D, COMMUNICATION AND CAPABILITY-BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE

PHILIPPINES being implemented by scientists and communication specialists at the

University of the Philippines.

2www.bmb.gov.ph/index...of.../724-status-of-philippine-biodiversity

3http://www.scidev.net/asia-pacific/disasters/news/understanding-science-can-help-reduce-disaster-

risks.html

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Objectives

The general purpose of this study, then, is to review the program’s efforts in moving

towards its goal of “developing and disseminating targeted science-based information

intended to catalyze the mind-change necessary to prioritize and help incorporate

biodiversity and resilience in key national and local decisions.”4

As authors of this paper are part of the BaR program staff, this review is conducted in

line with project monitoring. The goal of monitoring, or process evaluation, is to

improve performance and achieve outputs, outcomes and impact. Specifically, this

paper:

1. presents the structure, framework, and objectives of the

BaR program and

2. documents communication strategies, activities, and

outputs of the BaR program that have thus far been

implemented.

Resultsand Discussion

Objectives and Structure of the BaR Program

The BIODIVERSITY AND RESILIENCE (BAR) R&D, COMMUNICATION AND CAPABILITY-

BUILDING PROGRAM FOR THE PHILIPPINES is a multi-disciplinary research program

implemented at the University of the Philippines. The program converges the Science

and the Humanities disciplines to address urgent needs for biodiversity conservation

and resilience considering that the country is counted among the seven (7) mega-

diverse countries and among the seven (7) economies at highest multi-hazard

mortality risk in the Pacific Rim.

The program intends to contribute to emerging science-policy linkages to improve

decision-making for sustainable and resilient development. Each of program’s seven

(7) projects focuses on a specific biodiversity and resilience concern (see Figure 1).

4from Biodiversity and Resilience for Sustainable Urbanization and Regeneration, Notes of Discussion

byBenito M. Pacheco5 April 2013

Figure 1.Project components of BaR Program

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The three projects designated as “A” are concerned with monitoring ecosystems (i.e.,

terrestrial, freshwater, marine, or coastal) to develop baseline data regarding the status of

biodiversity. Meanwhile, the two “B”-designated projects focus on ecological consequences

in order to contribute to policy decision-making regarding resource management.

Communicating to specific publics is the concern of the two “C” projects.

Figure 2.The BaR Program members, including Project Leaders, Co-Leaders, and

Research Assistants from the various projects

Communication Framework and Strategies of the BaR program The program rightly places critical importance on communication. Program

documents explain:

“Biodiversity is a key to the protection of food security, public

health, and community resilience especially against climate-

associated natural disasters. Thus, biological diversity,

resilience against disaster, and climate change adaptation are

three closely intertwined subject areas. All three subject areas

are objects of active scientific research, and they are also

topics of popular media. However, there are significant gaps

Figure 3. Synergies of the Program Components (Source: Dr. Benito M. Pacheco’s

Presentation during the July 2013 Progress Workshop for the BaR Program)

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between the scientific knowledge and the folk knowledge in all

three subject areas. Both education research and

communication research shall be applied to bridge the gaps

between scientific and folk knowledge.” (Source:

Recognising that incorporating science into policy decisions needs concerted

advocacy efforts and that there is a need to bridge the communication between

scientists and policy makers so that scientific knowledge can be appropriately and

effectively used, the BAR PROGRAM positioned communication strategically in its

over-all design. Figure 3 illustrates the synergies of the component biodiversity and

resilience projects.

Figure 3 above illustrates the relatedness of the various program components, i.e., the

outputs of the various program components form the content of the communication

messages that will be delivered to specific and general publics in Philippine society

using appropriate strategies and channels of communication.

Serving as the BaR program’s communication arms are the two “C”-designated

projects (i.e., C1 and C2). In terms of communication strategy, the C1 project

addresses communication and capability building within the formal education sector,

C2 targets multiple types of audiences via non-formal training and use of the popular

entertainment media. Details regarding the objectives and expected outputs of C1 and

C2 are shown in Figure 3 below while Table 1 compares the strategies and audiences.

Figure 4.C1 and C2 Project Details

(Source: Dr. Benito M. Pacheco’s Presentation during the July 2013 Progress

Workshop for the BaR Program)

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Table 1.Projects C1 and C2: Comparison of Strategies and Audiences

Strategy Audience

C1 Capability-building in formal

tertiary education

College level students enrolled in general

education courses at the University of

the Philippines Diliman

C2 Audience-specific strategies via

training/roadshows and use of

popular media

Local government staff and officials

Scientists

General public (Juan and Juana)

Communication activities, and outputs of the C1 and C2 Projects

Project C1 is implemented by UP faculty members, representing various disciplines,

who together developed the syllabus for a general education course on disaster risk

management. Called “Civil Engineering 10: Disaster Mitigation, Adaptation and

Preparedness Strategies,” the subject is offered as an introductory general education

course for undergraduate students at UP Diliman.

Figure 5. Screen capture of CE 10 Course Title and Description

According to its project leader, Dr. Benito Pacheco:

“There was a perceived need for a general education course on disaster

risk management, since [the implementation of] Republic Act No.

10121, or the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, to

mainstream DRRM or DRM.”

A complete description of the course reads in this manner: “introduction to principles

and practices of disaster risk management by mitigation, adaptation and preparedness

strategies through civil engineering and related disciplines aiming for resilience.” The

course syllabus lists the following topics: disaster risk management framework,

including RA 10121; hazards and maps of hazards; hazard warning systems;

retrofitting and repair of structures, and community development.

CE 10 subject tackles hazards, exposures and vulnerability rather than emergency

response in an actual disaster. Hence, the course emphasis is on preparedness.

Moreover, course discussions on the risks associated with natural and manmade

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Figure 6. CE 10 goes to UP Mindanao (Source: http://www.upmin.edu.ph/index.php/news-sp-3476/visits/1905-visit-of-dr-

mark-arlbert-zarco-for-ce-10)

hazards are alongside the proactive strategies to manage those risks, e.g., mitigation,

adaptation. Designed as a large lecture class, CE 10 takes in 120 students per class.

A unique feature of the course is that six professors from different fields work

together to teach a single class. Those who teach the course are: Pacheco (structural-

civil engineering), Dr. Mark Albert H. Zarco (geotechnical-civil engineering),

Leonardo Rosete (visual communication); Dr. Flaudette May V. Datuin (art studies);

Elenita Que (educational technology), and Dr. Aurora Odette Corpuz-Mendoza

(psychology).

From UP Diliman, CE 10 is being considered as general education course in other UP

units (see Figure 6 which shows efforts of co-project leader Dr. Mark Zarco in

bringing the course to UP Mindanao).

Table 2. Summary of Communication Activities and Outputs of Project C1

COMMUNICATION

ACTIVITIES

In class

discussions

Class lectures Exposure trips and

actual experiences

COMMUNICATION

OUTPUTS

Course materials:

syllabus

Video lectures Student productions

(videos, animations)

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Project C2takes a similar interdisciplinary approach, where Marine Science Institute

faculty (Dr. Laura T. David, Ms. Talna Lorena de la Cruz) collaborate with faculty

and staff of the Communication Research Department (Dr. Elena E. Pernia, Ms.

Sheila Ruth Magdaraog) of the College of Mass Communication. Its main goal is the

mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in the

planning and implementation for safer, adaptive and disaster-resilient Filipino

communities toward sustainable development.

Toward this end, the project develops relevant, appropriate, and timely

communication materials and activities on Climate Resilience for both specific (i.e.,

teachers, students, officers and staff of local government units) and general (i.e., the

typical Juan and Juana) Philippine publics. Consequently, the materials developed are

in the realm of entertainment-education.

Because of the multi-audience nature of the project, the following discussion of

communication activities and outputs are presented by target audience.

Target audience: local government staff and officials

Ahon: APrimer on Climate Resilience is one communication output of C2. The

primer presents facts and issues relating to the interconnectivity of the mountains,

lowlands, waterways and seas. The booklet is aimed at teaching the government

officials and policy makers, both at the local and the national level, about the

interconnectivity of everything around us.

Figure 7.Cover art and publication page of the primer booklet

The booklet includes bite-sized facts on twelve topics, i.e., water in everyday life,

harnessing geothermal energy, water and disasters, rivers and lakes, forest

biodiversity, indigenous communities and cultures, climate-smart agriculture, green

open spaces, mangrove forests, sustainable livelihoods, coastal ecotourism, and ocean

biodiversity (see Appendix for sample pages of Ahon).

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Figure 8. Centerfold spread of the primer

The booklet was written with the guidance of leading science experts, who are

involved in Projects A and B of the BaR Program). Currently, the booklet is being

distributed to local government officers as guide in the management of their

communities and natural resources.

According to Dr. Laura T. David, the booklet’s main goal is to provide local leaders

with science-based facts regarding the nature of the area under their jurisdiction.

Communities, especially the ones most vulnerable to adverse climate change effects

such as storm surges in coastal areas and landslides in the mountainous areas, are

already aware of the phenomena and what must be done in order to avoid and mitigate

such effects. However, what they lack is the knowledge of the laws that must be

implemented in order to better protect themselves from extreme weather events.

Without this knowledge of the law, it is extremely hard for them to implement

measures that will protect and conserve not only the resources around them but also

human lives.

Several workshops and seminars by BaR scientists and science experts for local

government units (LGU) in selected provinces and regions of the country that are

considered vulnerable areas (i.e., Albay, Bohol, Quezon, Lanao del Norte, and

Misamis Oriental) have been implemented.

Target audience: scientists and experts

The project is committed to bringing science to the people and the people to science. The

project team realise that media outfits are constantly in need of relevant and accurate scientific

content to explain current events and phenomena that are in the news. Very often, however,

news media reporters/editors/producers are unaware and unfamiliar with the science and

scientists rarely make themselves available to media. Hence, the project designed a training

course titled Face to Face with the Media that brought together media practitioners (as training

resource persons) and scientists (as the trainees).

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The idea was to bring together media practitioners to familiarise them with science

experts who can be their news sources and the scientists to become familiar with

media operations. The training course helps equip these science experts with the

knowledge and skills required of them when dealing with the media through exposure

to the actual media processes. The goal is ultimately to make the scientists media

savvy – experts not only when it comes to researching in their own respective fields

but also in terms of communicating this knowledge (i.e., laymanizing) to the common

man through the various mass media channels available to them.

At the same time that scientists got insights into media as a field, media practitioners

were likewise educated about disaster science. Several runs of media trainings for

scientists and experts from Higher Education Institutions have been conducted. This

paves the way for effective communication of science-based information, both to the

public and to policy-makers as well.

Figure 9.Face to Face: Media Trainees from Project NOAH who discussed Typhoon

Yolanda experience the wrath of the media during the press conference

Three runs of the media training for scientists and science experts have been done

since June 2013. The media training is comprised of well-structured workshops in

print, radio, and television that enable the scientists and researchers to experience

what it is like to face the media. Participants of the training are first given an

overview of the media industry, what drives it, and how it works.

Subsequently, there attend sessions on which involve (1) writing for the typical

Filipino news audience, (2) radio and (3) television on-cam exercises. The media

training ends with an actual press conference, where the scientists face reporters from

print and broadcast networks.

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Figure 10.Left, media resource person Chi-Chi Fajardo-Robles takes the trainees for

an on-cam TV session. Right, Dr. Marc Zarco during an ambush interview

with the media

Several of these media-trained scientists and science experts have now become the

regular sources of news reports in the major print and broadcast programs. Moreover,

outputs from the A and B projects have seen print and TV news coverage.

Target audience: general public (Juan and Juana)

In line with the entertainment-education thrust, materials that have been developed

are: a card game, postcards, and the script for a telenovela.

Figure 11.The Resilience: Survive and Thrive™ Game

Resilience: Survive and Thrive™, a tabletop card game aimed at teaching its players

about sustainable development and climate change effects, has been developed as an

output of the C2 project. Targeted at students, local government officers, and the

general public, the Resilience™ game requires players to take on the role of

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community leaders who share resources. As leaders, they are tasked to lead their

respective communities towards growth and economic development while

maintaining the health of their shared resources.

The development stage of the Resilience: Survive and Thrive™ heavily involved

playtests with high school students as well as local government officers. Because it

aims to teach its players lessons on balanced development and sustainability, players

are introduced to climate change concepts/extreme weather events: storm surge, super

typhoon, reclamation, and ocean acidification and their effects on society. The game

also strives to communicate key learnings, specifically that the environment protects

humans from the impacts of climate change and that the environment provides

livelihood for humans to develop.

Figure 12.Students from Lagro High School, enjoying a playtest of the game’s pilot

version

A series of play tests and focus group discussions done with high school students

showed that players as young as those in first year high school students are capable of

gaining insight about DRRM and resilience just by playing the game. In particular,

students exhibited understanding of the key concepts:

1. Humans are affected by climate change and must learn how to adapt to

survive. Climate change increases the damage caused by extreme weather events on

communities.

2. The environment protects humans from extreme weather events. However,

climate change also has negative impacts to the environment.

3. Livelihoods are where humans get their income and what leads to

development. Without livelihoods, there will be no income and development. There

will be poverty.

4. Nature provides the means for humans to have livelihoods. Without Nature,

there would be no industry since all materials come from the environment. If the

environment is damaged, livelihoods will become less profitable.

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The game has been publicly introduced via media coverage. In fact, it has been

written up in a (front page) major daily broadsheet, included in TV news, as well as a

featured in television news documentary program.

Figure 13.Screen captures of some of the major news channels that reported on

Resilience: Survive and Thrive™

Moreover, the first annual Resilience tournament was launched in February

2016.Titled Paladino at Paladina: Resilience: Survive and Thrive tournament, the

event was well-attended by participants. With such positive reception, the game will

be made commercially available (pending licensing to an interested publisher).

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Figure 14.Winning players with the organizers of the Paladino at Paladina:

Resilience: Survive and Thrive tournament

Two batches of postcards that aim to educate the public about endangered and

endemic species of the Philippines have been produced.

Figure 15.Sample postcards from batch 1

The first batch of which focused on marine life and was created as part of the Month

of the Oceans celebration led by the Department of Environmental and Natural

Resources (DENR). The postcards contain a “handwritten” message, in the first

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person, to educate the public about the plight of our endemic and endangered species.

Messages are personalized per species and also include recommendations on how to

better protect them (see Figure 16).

These postcards have also been converted to banner posters posted in strategic MRT

stations in Manila in order to deliver the message to more people. These have also

been sent to state colleges and universities, as well as government offices all over the

country.

Figure 16.Banner poster version of the postcard, posted in strategic MRT stations

Both postcards and banner posters have been printed in three languages, namely,

English, Filipino, and Bisaya.

Inikaduwa, a script for a telenovela, is another output of the project.

Figure 17.Screen capture of the Opening Billboard, showing the icons for Inikaduwa:

mountains, mangroves, and reefs

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The team, with the help of seasoned writers from the Philippine Educational Theater

Association (PETA) who also write for major TV networks, developed a telenovela

script which is expected to bridge the gap between entertainment and science. The

telenovela titled Inikaduwa incorporates the basic elements of a normal telenovela

(romance, comedy, drama, and mystery) while also shedding light on issues of

climate change adaptation and mitigation. This mix between entertainment and

science is anticipated to engage the general public such that overly-scientific jargon

will become common terms among members of the Filipino household.

Currently, the team is in talks with a major television network which has signified its

interest in producing it.

Table 3.Summary of Communication Activities and Outputs of Project C2

COMMUNICATION

ACTIVITIES

Development of

communication

materials

Media training Popular/entertainment

media

Game

development

Telenovel

a script

developm

ent

COMMUNICATION

OUTPUTS Brochure

Postcards

Animations

Scientists as

media experts Resilience:

Survive and

Thrive™

Paladino at

Paladina: A

Resilience:

Survive and

Thrive™

tournament

Inikaduw

a script

Conclusion

Quality design and execution

The communication outputs of the BaR program show quality in terms of design and

execution. From the academic (i.e., course design) to the popular (e.g., card game,

postcards, script), these communication outputs are products of systematic planning

and are anchored on appropriate theoretical perspectives.

Interdisciplinary cooperation and synergy

Moreover, the communication activities and outputs show how mutually reinforcing

interdisciplinary cooperation can be. The collaborating units in the BaR program are

both from within the academic disciplines (i.e., Colleges of Science, Engineering,

Mass Communication, Fine Arts) and outside the academe (i.e., news networks and

media organizations).

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However, how well have these communication efforts contributed to the

mainstreaming of disaster science into the public consciousness and development

policies? As pilot-tests of media and technologies, these efforts show promise. What

is necessary - and this is the challenge - is wider and broader replication.

References

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