In recent years, the rhetoric of governments on the public communication of science has changed to focus on the need for "engagement" rather than the "public understanding" of science. And when it comes to communciating about adaptations to climate change - whether it be in the city by the coast or on the farm - we are told we need to engage early and often. But what does engagement actually mean to those who initiate it and to those who are involved in it?

This presentation will look at various definitions of engagement in the context of communicating science to gain adaptive behaviour changes or community support for adaptive plans and policies.

I will use case studies from the Managing Climate Variability Climate Champion farmers and the Queensland Coastal Hazards Adaption Program with local councils to explore this topic.

My research indicates there is a spectrum of motivations for science engagement, from providing information right through to co-production of new knowledge. Furthermore, the motivations for science engagement reflect how people define engagement and the outcomes they desire.

This has implications for how representatives from government and research agencies set up and enact successful engagement strategies designed to bring about change in how we adapt to climate change. It also has implications for nurturing community-driven science engagement initiatives.