Search Climate Insights Directory

The document argues that talking about climate change is a critical individual action to normalize the topic and overcome the common misperception that others do not care about the issue. It provides a set of communication guidelines based on science and expert advice, emphasizing the use of shared values, personal stories, and empathetic listening over technical jargon or argumentative approaches. The guide highlights a gap in U.S. public perception, noting that while 63% of Americans are concerned about climate change, they believe only 43% share that concern, which often leads to silence and inaction.

The document outlines three positive framing strategies for COP30: highlighting the unstoppable momentum of renewable energy, depicting a cleaner and fairer future for children, and emphasizing the protection of natural environments. It advises against using politicized or intangible terms like 'net-zero' and 'growth', suggesting instead a focus on tangible benefits such as job creation, cheaper energy bills, and cleaner air. The guide also provides specific UK-based case studies and public opinion statistics to support these narratives.

Climate Outreach suggests that the UK government's 'Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan' must move beyond discussing big investments and emissions targets to highlight tangible benefits for ordinary people. The authors argue for a narrative focused on cheaper energy, improved health through home retrofitting, and nature restoration, using specific community examples from Liverpool, North Yorkshire, and Shropshire to demonstrate how clean energy and nature projects improve lives and foster local pride.

The study argues that climate disinformation in the Global South is not a digital accident but a reactivation of 'colonial logics of mediated authority.' By analyzing 200 social media posts and socio-cultural indices across eleven former British colonies in Africa, the author develops a 'Model of Indirect Epistemic Domination.' This model posits that disinformation achieves legitimacy by using trusted intermediaries—such as religious leaders and social media influencers—to frame climate falsehoods as indigenous truths. Statistical analysis reveals that religiosity and media access are the strongest predictors of susceptibility to climate disinformation, while formal education and trust in science do not provide significant protection.

The report examines climate change perceptions in Majuba Village, Eastern Cape, finding that while residents are acutely aware of environmental decline, they often explain it through spiritual or moral frameworks due to a lack of local, trusted scientific information. It identifies radio as the most critical medium for communication due to high data costs and limited internet access. The study highlights that disinformation fills the void left by institutional silence and recommends establishing community radio in local dialects (isiXhosa, Sesotho, and Hlubi) and training local facilitators to bridge the gap between science and traditional beliefs.

The Durham Medical Orchestra (DMO) leveraged YPCCC's data and segmentation tools to move away from 'gloom and doom' narratives, instead using health- and action-oriented messaging to engage an audience of approximately 1,000 people. By combining a curated musical program—balancing emotional processing of the climate crisis with hopeful themes—with panel discussions and tangible action pledges, the DMO successfully attracted new audiences and raised over $2,000 for Hurricane Helene relief.

Between March 2021 and May 2025, Americans increasingly shifted their primary news consumption from traditional TV to online sources, particularly social media. This trend is most pronounced among the 'Concerned' and 'Alarmed' segments of the public, raising concerns about the spread of climate misinformation on platforms with less regulatory oversight.

The report identifies government corruption, the cost of living, and the economy as the primary concerns for the general U.S. population, while global warming is a top priority only for the 'Alarmed' segment. It analyzes these worries across political ideologies and the 'Six Americas' framework, suggesting that climate communicators can broaden their appeal by linking climate action to these more prevalent economic and governance concerns.

Based on a May 2025 survey of 1,040 adults, the report finds that government corruption (54%), the cost of living (48%), and the economy (47%) are the top worries for Americans. In contrast, only 29% of the general population is very worried about global warming. The study highlights deep polarization: the 'Alarmed' group is highly concerned about climate change (92%), while the 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' groups report 0% high concern. The report suggests that climate communicators can broaden appeal by connecting climate action to economic opportunities, energy costs, and government accountability.

The author contends that 'net zero' is an uninspiring and technical term that has been weaponised by opposition as an 'elitist' agenda. Instead of focusing on abstract targets, the document suggests communicating climate action through tangible community improvements—such as solar panels on leisure centres and school tree planting—and highlighting achievements like the fact that renewable energy now powers 50% of the UK energy mix. This statement serves as an introduction to the 'Britain Talks Climate and Nature' report, which aims to move away from polarising language toward a blueprint for a prosperous future.

Between March 2021 and May 2025, Americans increasingly shifted their primary news consumption from traditional TV toward online sources, particularly social media. This trend was most pronounced among the 'Concerned' and 'Alarmed' segments of the Six Americas framework. The report highlights the risk of climate misinformation on social media, noting a shift from denying climate change to denying the effectiveness of climate solutions.

A May 2025 survey of 1,040 U.S. adults found that while 82% of Americans believe homeowners insurance costs are increasing, only 48% attribute this rise to global warming. In contrast, 69% link the increases to disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. Other highly cited drivers include inflation (70%) and insurance company profits (69%). A significant political divide exists regarding the role of global warming, with 71% of liberal Democrats and only 27-28% of Republicans acknowledging its contribution.

The document outlines a set of 'dos and don'ts' for communicators to explain the dual necessity of reducing pollution and adapting to climate impacts. It provides tailored messaging strategies for four specific audience groups: Progressive Activists, Incrementalist Left, Established Liberals, and Traditional Conservatives, emphasizing the need to avoid pitting adaptation against mitigation and instead highlighting progress, stability, and the protection of local environments and livelihoods.

The document outlines a communication toolkit for framing the transition to clean energy in the home as a collective societal effort rather than an individual burden. It emphasizes the use of solar power as a symbol of progress and provides tailored messaging for five specific UK audience segments: Progressive Activists, Incrementalist Lefts, Established Liberals, Rooted Patriots, and Traditional Conservatives. The guide advises against promising immediate financial savings and instead suggests highlighting existing progress, community benefits, and the protection of the British way of life.

The document advises communicators to frame net zero as a means to achieve a 'better future' with concrete benefits like cleaner air and good jobs, rather than defending it through statistics. It provides tailored messaging for five UK audience segments: Progressive Activists, Incrementalist Lefts, Established Liberals, Sceptical Scrollers, and Rooted Patriots, emphasizing local improvements, moral leadership, and the protection of British livelihoods and nature.

The BTC 2025 Communications Toolkit outlines best practices for public consultation on climate and nature, emphasizing transparency, accessibility, and the avoidance of 'tick box' exercises. It provides tailored messaging for seven distinct audience segments—ranging from Progressive Activists to Dissenting Disruptors—to ensure inclusive engagement and rebuild trust in institutions during the transition to net zero.

The document outlines four core communication principles—normalising support, framing action as ambitious rather than radical, highlighting global efforts, and avoiding the normalisation of opposition—while providing specific messaging strategies for Progressive Activists, the Incrementalist Left, Established Liberals, and Traditional Conservatives in the UK.

The report finds widespread public support for clean energy in the UK, with high levels of acceptance for wind turbines and solar panels across the political spectrum. It notes that in Scotland and Wales, renewable energy projects generate national pride comparable to or exceeding that of the fossil fuel industry. The analysis suggests that 'stories of progress' are more compelling to the public than narratives of failure or radical change. While support for renewables is high, the document emphasizes that fossil fuel industries remain tied to national identity and history, and that the transition must account for job losses and the perceived value of the industrial past.

The document finds that while deep distrust in politicians and institutions affects how climate action is perceived, there remains enduring support among Brits for ambitious climate leadership. People value leaders who are credible, passionate, and empathetic, and who prioritize tangible local benefits and global collective action over a reliance on statistics. The report suggests that climate leadership should be grounded in local contexts and delivered by authentic messengers to overcome disillusionment.

Research indicates that while 74% of people in Britain consider climate change important, there is deep distrust in politics and a tendency to avoid the topic due to negative feelings. The report recommends that communicators ditch technical jargon, focus on positive future visions, and avoid overestimating opposition to net zero. For policymakers, it suggests prioritizing local infrastructure that lowers energy bills, accelerating inclusive solar panel roll-out, cracking down on pollution, and investing in genuine local engagement to counter top-down distrust.