A deadly heat wave in Canada, the flood of the century in Germany’s Ahr Valley, and deaths from famine due to record drought in Somalia: the consequences of extreme weather repeatedly dominate the headlines worldwide.

And climate change is making these events increasingly likely. In the latest IPCC report, climate researchers conclude that we should expect a global warming of 3°C — a dismaying message considering the possible consequences.

Making climate analysis accessible 

This had already become apparent through data and partial reports. But how do you make the importance of this scientific finding clear to a broad audience?

The Funke Interactive team faced this challenge in the spring of 2022. Our response was to illustrate these drastic consequences and make them visually accessible to everyone.

Climate researchers around the world are continuously making solid predictions. But the extent and potential impact remain abstract for laypersons. The team, therefore, focused on one simple question: Where will human life no longer be possible under natural conditions in the future?

We answered that question with an interactive globe. It shows the parts of the world that could become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels, tropical cyclones, and heat and water stress. It also shows how many people live in these areas.

Data research as the foundation

The basis of the project is hard work with climate data. First, we identified the likeliest climate scenario. The basis for this decision is the temperature forecast of the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) project. Scientists from the CAT follow current climate policy worldwide and calculate the expected warming: according to this, by the year 2100, an increase of 2.7°C could be expected compared to the level before the beginning of industrialisation.

Climate change projections are based on complex models with different scenarios. For this project, we collected and requested data from scientists and institutions that most closely correspond to the expected 2.5 and 3°C temperature increase.

Close exchange with scientists

We converted raw data from different sources into comparable data sets using the programming language R. In some cases, it took more than 10 hours to execute the corresponding code. We stayed in close contact with the scientists to ensure that our assumptions and methods for processing their data were accurate.

Turning data into a 3D model

Parallel to the data research, we tested various visualisation ideas and graphical appearances. After experimenting with different maps, the team decided on the 3D variant: the globe. This allows for an additional dimension in terms of content. Columns protruding from the planet visualise the population in the “uninhabitable” areas. This visualisation was finally developed with a specially programmed React app based on the library three.js.

Next, we added a guided scrollytelling containing the most important context and information. This interactive story also features an “explore” mode that readers can use to interact with the data and visualisation themselves. Additionally, it lists the regions and states that are expected to be hit hardest. An extensive FAQ was added to explain jargon and basic concepts of climate research and policy.

International attention

Since the project is relevant to a global audience, we also published it in English. Thus, the project received much international attention on Twitter and Reddit and was included in curated lists of news Web sites. Climate scientists and politicians shared it on their Web sites and social media. And scientists have featured the project in their talks.

The project has strengthened Funke’s media brands and raised their recognition — even beyond Germany. It shows how journalists can build a bridge between complex science and a broad audience.

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