How dire are the security implications of climate change? Research findings on the relationship between climate and conflict are diverse and contested, leaving policymakers of various types uncertain about productive ways to integrate climate into risk assessments and action plans. This talk reflects on the benefits of inclusive, rather than confrontational, approaches to reconciling scholarly and scientific disagreements. Using a recent expert elicitation-based, consensus-building exercise as a positive case study (Mach et al. 2019), this talk demonstrates how academic communities can make their work both more legible and representative when engaging with policy practitioners.