Mr. Gifford is a professor of Psychology and Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria.

He is co-author of a relatively recent American Psychological Association report that examined the interface between psychology and climate change.
He explains what makes people receptive and how to get messages across effectively:

• It has to have some urgency.
• It has to have as much certainty as can be mustered with integrity.
• There can't be just one message: there must be messages targeted to different groups.
• Messages should be framed in positive terms. People are less willing to change their behaviour if you tell them they have to make sacrifices. If you tell them they can be in the vanguard, be a hero, be the one that helps - that works.
• You have to give people the sense that their vote counts and that their effort won't be in vain.