Conclusions

Climate communication plays a crucial role in driving climate action by raising public awareness and increasing acceptance for ambitious climate policies. The wider climate community, including governments and non-governmental organizations, must recognize the importance of climate communication as a secret weapon in the fight against climate change. By effectively communicating the urgent need for action alongside the benefits of transitioning to a low-carbon economy, we can bridge the gap between scientific research and public understanding, and mobilize individuals, communities and policymakers to take meaningful action.

To create a cultural shift towards a more sustainable future, we need to inspire the public’s imagination and emotions. The media and creative industries have a unique ability to captivate audiences through their superpowers of storytelling, entertainment and engagement. From films and TV to advertising and social media, they have the power to shape public opinion and drive change. By involving these industries in the conversation and leveraging their influence, we can inspire people to be part of the solution.

By connecting cutting-edge scientific insights, world-class creativity, and ground-up community efforts, we possess the tools necessary to reshape the climate narrative. We will do so by mobilizing a climate communications collaborative, which will bring together experts and stakeholders from a diversity of fields to develop and implement creative campaigns that engage and mobilize the public. By deploying evidence-based communication strategies and pooling resources, we will aim to reach a wider audience, including those who are not engaged with climate issues yet.

Values-based, culturally significant, and appropriate messaging play a vital role in engaging people with climate change, especially when combined with storytelling approaches. Effective approaches should reflect people’s interests and concerns, and frames must be tailored to the local context. We can achieve this through working with existing climate communicators such as journalists and educators, as well enlisting the help of cultural icons and social influencers. Meeting people where they’re at will be essential in supercharging engagement and shaping our vision for a better future.

A New Era in Climate Communications is a collaborative effort spanning more than 60 contributors and organizations, developed over the course of eight months and thousands of hours by New Zero World and Global Commons Alliance. With this work, we want to lay the foundation for a transformed future through the power of communication and creativity. We are developing a radically new approach which brings together science and creativity to reimagine and rework how we communicate about the climate crisis — the biggest challenge and opportunity facing humanity today.