How to talk about climate change over the holidays

The guide argues that talking about climate change is essential for societal change and recommends the 'REAL TALK' framework, which prioritises mutual respect, open-ended questions, and personal storytelling over statistics and blame to build connections and encourage engagement.

• Conversations about climate change are often avoided due to the topic feeling too depressing or divisive; for example, 60% of Americans in April 2019 reported they "rarely or never" discussed it with family or friends.
• Effective climate communication should focus on building connections through mutual respect and listening, as feelings of fear, guilt, shame, and obligation can damage the quality of the connection between people.
• Using open questions and personal stories is more effective than presenting statistics or engaging in debates over facts, as people are motivated by stories rather than data.
• Individuals who are already taking some action to address climate change, regardless of the scale, find it easier to initiate conversations about the topic.

APA

Webster, R. (2019). How to talk about climate change over the holidays. Climate Outreach. https://climateoutreach.org/how-to-talk-about-climate-change-over-the-holidays/

Chicago

Webster, Robin. How to talk about climate change over the holidays. Climate Outreach, 2019. https://climateoutreach.org/how-to-talk-about-climate-change-over-the-holidays/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Webster |first1=Robin |title=How to talk about climate change over the holidays |publisher=Climate Outreach |date=20 December 2019 |url=https://climateoutreach.org/how-to-talk-about-climate-change-over-the-holidays/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{webster2019how, author = {Webster, Robin}, title = {{How to talk about climate change over the holidays}}, institution = {Climate Outreach}, year = {2019}, month = dec, url = {https://climateoutreach.org/how-to-talk-about-climate-change-over-the-holidays/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }