Resources for Environmental and Sustainability Communicators
How do we talk about the transition to a low-carbon economy without it sounding like a threat to the livelihoods – and sense of identity – of all those who work in energy-intensive industries and the communities they support? The concept of a ‘just transition’ – where workers and communities affected by the move to a low-carbon economy are supported through a...
CDKN’s Communicating climate change: A practitioner’s guide is full of tips for communicating climate change effectively, drawn from CDKN’s experience in South Asia and Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. It is by practitioners and for practitioners. If you have ever tried to explain to colleagues in your organisation, policy-makers, or the broader public how the...
What comes to mind when you think about climate change? Polar bears perhaps? Melting ice caps? But do these images make climate change feel relevant to your life? Do they motivate you to take action? Research indicates that for most audiences these images have the opposite effect. Together with the Climate Visuals team at UK-based Climate Outreach, Resource Media has...
For a long time, ‘adaptation’ was a dirty word in the campaigning world: if we can just adapt, why bother trying to reduce emissions? But whatever we do to reduce emissions, significant climate impacts are now locked in, and it’s time we started taking the communication about adapting to these risks more seriously. The practical tips and activities in our...
There is currently a lack of research into communicating the concept of net zero and why it is needed, but existing insights on climate change communication suggest the phrase net zero is a technical one that will not resonate well with the public. The purpose of this report is to test these assumptions, and make recommendations on the best ways...
When it comes to mainstreaming low-carbon lifestyles, why do we need to move from ‘nudge’ to ‘think’? How do we make sure we’re focusing on the behaviours and audiences that really matter? When does one sustainable behaviour lead to another? What role do positive social norms and authentic storytelling play? These are some of the questions brought together in a...
In this report we explore additional language that speaks to the values and identities of different audiences within Alberta. The report includes narratives tailored to each audience – what communicators call “sub-narratives”. The sub-narratives are intended to sit within the larger meta- narrative from Report I, giving the latter greater nuance and speci c meaning.
Effective communications are integral to designing and implementing a carbon price. They provide the means for building acceptance internally across government and externally with key stakeholders and the wider public. This shared understanding and acceptance is essential for building a robust policy that can be sustained through electoral and economic cycles. This Guide provides practical, step-by-step guidance on how to...
There is a growing appreciation of the need to engage the public around climate change, but how much do researchers and practitioners agree on how to go about this? How do they approach communicating climate change, and what are their motives for doing so? The Climate Communication Project aims to understand and evaluate existing expertise in the UK on communicating...
While governments and advocates have largely focused on the technological, economic and political changes needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, far less attention has been paid to engaging the public in the global response to climate change. What does it mean to live in a changing climate? How do public attitudes play into the global policy discourse on climate change?...
Looking for some professional development? Consider the online course Environmental Communication: Research Into Practice, beginning every January and September.
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