Need for Positive Spin in Climate Messaging

Maybe the problem isn’t climate denial. Maybe it’s climate messaging. We’ve been attempting to scare or shame people into caring, and it’s not effective. Is it time to completely rethink how we talk about climate and sustainability? We've spent years trying to influence people through fear, data, and moral urgency. The results? Mixed. If we want genuine buy-in, we need to be honest about what’s isn’t working. Here are seven messaging mistakes we keep repeating. 1. Leading with Guilt and Doom: "We're killing the planet!" doesn't inspire - it overwhelms. Guilt sparks awareness, but rarely leads to action. 2. Talking About “The Planet” Instead of People People don’t wake up thinking about biodiversity - they think about bills, housing, jobs. Make climate personal. What can THEY GAIN out of changing their behaviour? 3. Assuming Rational Facts Will Change Behavior: 1.5°C Warming Is Essential, But Not Sufficient. Facts Inform, but Emotions Drive Action. 4. Using Elite, exclusionary language jargon, such as “net zero” and “green premiums,” alienates the majority. Sustainability can’t sound like it’s just for experts or elites. 5. Neglecting economic and social equity when we assume everyone can afford an EV or solar system, we lose trust. Green should be accessible to everyone - not just the wealthy. 6. Framing Green as Restriction, Not Opportunity: Less driving, flying, consuming... Where’s the upside? A green transition should feel like a win: lower bills, warmer homes, and cleaner air. 7. Treating Climate Like a Separate Issue. Climate isn’t separate from the economy, housing, or healthcare - it is those things. When we silo it, we shrink its relevance. So, how do we change the story? ✅ Speak to lived realities. Discuss how green policies improve everyday life, including jobs, bills, housing, and health. ✅ Shift from sacrifice to solutions. Replace “cut back” with “get more” - resilience, savings, mobility, and wellbeing. ✅ Make it simple. Use plain, human language. Instead of “decarbonize the grid,” say “cleaner, cheaper energy in every home. Help people to measure their carbon footprint.” ✅ Center fairness easily. Ensure that the benefits of sustainability are accessible - especially to those who have been historically excluded. ✅ Embed climate into everything. Don’t treat it like a separate crusade - show how it strengthens the economy, creates jobs, and benefits communities. ✅ Gemify climate action ✅ Give intrinsic value to change of behaviour and reducing carbon footprint. 👉 Time to stop scaring people into action - and start inspiring them with what’s possible. What language has been proven to be effective for climate and sustainability? Let’s share notes. ♻️ Repost this to help spread the word, please! 👉 Follow Gilad Regev for more insights like this.

Negativity sells. (We’ve all seen those headlines screaming about risks and failures.) But here’s the secret: Positivity wins. Especially when you’re pitching to decision-makers in climate tech. Why? A 2020 study showed that high-power individuals find positively framed messages: →More believable. →Less manipulative. Translation? Opportunities beat threats. Framing your message around potential gains resonates far more than warning about potential losses. Here’s how this plays out: 1.Carbon accounting software ❌ "Avoid costly fines for non-compliance." ✅ "Achieve regulatory compliance and boost your company’s reputation." 2.Sustainable supply chain solutions ❌ "Failing to address emissions increases regulatory risks." ✅ "We connect you to vetted green suppliers, keeping your business compliant and enhancing your ESG score." 3.Green building materials ❌ "Using traditional materials will increase emissions." ✅ "Reduce embodied carbon and improve occupant well-being with bio-based materials." The lesson? Talk about the benefits of taking action—not the costs of staying stagnant. When you highlight the wins your climate tech solution delivers, you: →Build trust. →Inspire action. →Convert leads into loyal partners. Positivity isn’t just a feel-good strategy. It’s the winning strategy. — Does your messaging focus on what your customers gain? Share your thoughts

How do we make climate communication resonate with the very people it affects the most? 💡 🌎 In my latest essay for Question of Cities, I reflect on this pressing question, drawing on my experience in journalism and storytelling, as well as research and fieldwork in the climate space over the last few years. The article outlines how dominant climate narratives often remain inaccessible, overly technical, and disconnected from everyday lived realities. Some key takeaways: 🔁 1. Translation isn’t enough—localisation matters. Efforts like the UNDP Climate Dictionary are welcome, but we need to go further. People don’t say “Jalvayu Parivartan”—they talk about rain delays, changing festivals, and crop failures. Climate terms must emerge from how people experience change, not how we define it. Climate must be framed as an everyday issue. For most people in India, climate change competes with daily concerns like food, housing, and livelihoods. 📚 2. Storytelling enables agency. We need to shift from policy briefs to bottom-up storytelling, where a fisherwoman in the Sundarbans or a tribal woman in Odisha becomes the knowledge holder. 🎭 3. Embrace diverse media and people’s science. From metaphor-rich language to theatre, dance, and music—creative formats hold emotional and cultural power. Even community-defined terms like “wet drought” offer nuance and should shape climate adaptation strategies. 📰4. Mainstream media must build capacity. At a recent workshop in Maharashtra, we saw how rural reporters struggle to differentiate between climate and weather. There’s little support for them—especially women—to cover these stories. Climate needs to be integrated into all beats, not confined to disaster or weather coverage. 🎯 5. Climate communications is not just outreach—it’s strategy. Too often, communication is underfunded and under-prioritised. But to build inclusive, impact-driven programmes, we must invest in grassroots media literacy, storyteller training, and long-term behavioural change campaigns. 🌏 In the coming years, we will witness a growing wave of efforts to communicate climate change in new and compelling ways as climate becomes centre stage in policy and mainstream narratives. But the real test of these approaches won’t lie in international recognition or polished campaigns. It will lie in how meaningfully they resonate on the ground—in how a coal worker in Jharkhand or a landless labourer in Maharashtra understands, imagines, and navigates a world that is 1.5 degrees C warmer. 🔗 Read the piece here: https://lnkd.in/dGG8ZNZn A big thanks to Smruti Koppikar and Shobha Surin for trusting me with this piece. And of course, this would not be possible without Asar and all the fabulous work that I have got to be a part of in the last 3+ years! #ClimateCommunication #ClimateJustice

We all participate in doom-scrolling and see climate headlines that leave us feeling helpless daily. So it’s no surprise that climate messaging that is purely data-based often fails to drive action. Here’s why: 1. Our brains are wired for stories, not statistics Climate data alone activates the analytical part of our brain, but decisions are driven by our emotions. For example: ❌ "1.5°C of warming" may not evoke much. ✅"Children born today will never experience a normal snow season in their hometown" instantly creates an emotional connection. 2. We’re overwhelming people with problems, not empowering them with solutions ❌ "Arctic ice is melting at unprecedented rates" creates anxiety. ✅ "Cities are creating urban forests to cool neighborhoods and absorb carbon—here’s how yours can too" sparks hope and action. 3. We’re missing the power of social proof Humans act based on what others do. Case in point: When a Sacramento neighborhood showed residents their energy usage compared to neighbors, consumption dropped 2% more than when they only saw environmental impact data. The most powerful climate messages don’t just inform—they inspire. What are some examples of great research that hasn’t been able to translate into effective climate messaging? Share both good and bad examples of climate messaging in the comments ⬇️ #ClimateCommunication #Sustainability #CorporateResponsibility #ClimateAction

It is time to rethink how we talk about climate change 🌎 Sharing my latest article for Inc. Magazine on why fear alone is not an effective long term strategy for climate communication. Over the past decades, the climate narrative has centered on alarming data, catastrophic projections, and worst case scenarios. While this approach has successfully elevated the urgency of the issue, it has not always translated into meaningful behavioral or systemic change. Fear is a powerful motivator for immediate reaction, but its effect diminishes over time. Constant exposure to catastrophic framing often leads to emotional fatigue, desensitization, and disengagement. Without clear solutions or a sense of agency, the public is left concerned but uncertain about how to engage. The article argues for a more balanced and constructive communication approach. One that complements the sense of urgency with a forward looking and relatable vision. Rather than focusing only on sacrifice and decline, climate change can also be framed as an opportunity to rethink how we live, move, and produce. Drawing on insights from Futerra’s Sell the Sizzle report, the piece outlines four critical elements of effective climate messaging: Vision, Choice, Plan, and Participation. These components can help build a narrative that is not only accurate, but also engaging and action oriented. Reframing the story of climate change is not about reducing the severity of the issue. It is about increasing the relevance of the message. By presenting tangible and near term benefits, and by inviting people into the solution, communication can become a catalyst for broader participation and deeper commitment. You can read the full article here 👇 https://lnkd.in/g4hcb-Sd #sustainability #business #sustainable #esg

💡 💚 👉 "#Storytelling -- whether through fiction, documentary, data science of sociology, and however optimistic -- might seem a limp response to the #climatecrisis... But it's a tool that's available, cheap and endlessly renewable. And as a society, we will not act on #climatechange until we're convinced that our action is useful and urgent." Great story in today's NY Times from Alexis Soloski that aligns with our approach at The Cool Down: 🚫 Doom doesn't work -- when we focus on a doom and gloom message, there's an enormous risk that people get so overwhelmed and depressed that they don't do anything and don't see how they can make a difference. (h/t Katharine Hayhoe) 📺 Storytelling is an underrated and incredibly important tool in the climate solutions toolkit -- as Hannah Ritchie says, "In order to build a better world, you need to be able to envision one that is possible." Let's show people the innovations we already have to shape a better future. 💚 Let's be real about the situation we face -- but also remind people of the progress we're making. At The Cool Down, our writers include solutions in every article about the bad news -- and nearly 75% of our content is positive in nature. 🤝 We're in an all hands deck situation. We need all the things: individual action + business + government. We all have a part to play. This is how we're mobilizing 35M+ people a month to find themselves in the climate story -- let's not underestimate the ripple effect that can have. Go deeper: 👉 Here's our write up on "A Brief History of the World" from Kathryn Murdoch, Ari Wallach & the PBS team -- https://lnkd.in/g35XtRCU 👉 Highly recommend Hannah Richie's book, "Not the End of the World: How We Can be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet" as well as Katharine Hayhoe's book "Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World." 🎯 👉 Excited to read my former ABC colleague Bill Weir's new book, "Life as We Know It (Can Be)" 💚 #climatesolutions #climatecrisis #sustainability https://lnkd.in/gKVx_KAV

🌍 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗔 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻 🌍 With climate challenges becoming more severe, eco-anxiety is on the rise—especially in vulnerable communities. But how do we transform this anxiety into action and resilience? In this article, I explored a framework for climate communication that shifts from fear-based messaging to empowerment, mental health support, and systemic change. A huge thank you to Arif Goheer, who joined me on the 'Kaisay podcast' to discuss this critical issue, and to the brilliant professionals who shared their insights and contributed to this important discussion: Aisha Khan: A strong regulatory regime is necessary to ensure compliance, and presenting the consequences of inaction can drive meaningful change. Iqra Fareed: Focusing on solutions and empowering people is key. Qurratulain Ain: We must spread optimism and focus on solutions, not just symptoms. Asia Ashraf: Fear-driven messaging can lead to helplessness, but resilience-building strategies can offer hope. Areeba Khan: Responsible messaging needs to encourage action, supported by mental health guidance. Amna Urooj: Fear-driven climate messages can backfire in vulnerable communities, making hopeful and practical communication essential. Saleha Qureshi: Framing climate communication positively can inspire a proactive mindset. Sundus Sohail: Acknowledging our eco-anxiety is important, but every small action counts toward sustainability. Humera Qasim Khan: Climate communication should empower and guide action. Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation and reshared the post to further spread awareness: Taha Khan: Your reflections on this nuanced issue are very helpful. Zeeshan Shaukat: Factual discussions and accountability matter more than ever. Ishrat Jabeen: Positive, actionable solutions must go beyond mere awareness campaigns. Ayesha Rehman, Aleeza Bangash, Saira Siyal, KOMAL Tanveer, and Sarah Zafar: I appreciate your contributions to this discussion. #EcoAnxiety #ClimateAction #MentalHealth #CommunityResilience #BehavioralChange #ClimateCommunication #KaisayPodcast #Pakistan #ClimateCommunication #CommunicationStrategy #StratCom

Inspirators series, edition 98 Anne Therese Gennari on Climate Optimism “Climate Optimism is for everyone! But how do you remain optimistic in a world that is so broken and chaotic? The trickiest thing about optimism is that it can seem fleeting and hard to maintain. How can you believe a better world is possible when all you hear on the news is how we’re ruining our chances of a livable future more and more each day? Here’s how: I call it being an ‘Optimist in Action’. You don’t simply choose optimism, you create it. If you rely on outside sources to fuel your optimism, you might get in trouble pretty soon, which is why you want to put yourself in charge and create that optimism for yourself. When you take action (it can be big or small) on the changes you wish to see, you’re becoming your own source of optimism. You’re not just hoping for things to change, you’re proving to yourself that change is possible, and the optimism birthed in that act will inspire you to do even more. These small actions allow you to fuel yourself with the bold and positive energy the world needs. This energy will ripple effect and invite other on board as well, and that is how a positive movement is created. We don't have to focus on making people care about climate change on a moral level. That approach is ineffective. By letting go of shame and blame, they can find a sense of curiosity, excitement and courage. The focus needs to lie on finding the right way to frame the message towards inspiration. I understand you can sometimes feel hopeless. I see you and I feel you. And I’m not here to tell you that you shouldn’t feel the way you do. But no matter how messed up this reality is, one thing is still true: we have the opportunity right now to leave the old world behind and create something so much better. And you get to partake in that, which I hope should make you feel inspired and excited. You are the children of today which means you’re the children of change, the first generation to experience the world we create next. Make sure a regenerative world emerges, and find hope and joy in being part of something truly extraordinary.” Read the answers Anne Therese Gennari gave to the Inspirators questionnaire: https://lnkd.in/dZ8_miKt #inspirators #sustainability #regenerativeleadership

In a world bombarded with existential threats, the narrative of doom has become a familiar refrain. Yet new research involving over 255 behavioral scientists and climate change experts tested the effects of 11 common messages meant to boost climate change beliefs, policy support, and concrete action. Their extensive study reveals that while doom-laden messages capture social media attention, they fail to inspire real-world action against climate change. Among the various strategies tested, one particularly effective approach stood out: emphasizing the impact of one's current actions on future generations. This intervention involved asking participants to write a letter to a socially close child, who would read it in 25 years as an adult, describing their current efforts to ensure a habitable planet. This strategy not only personalized the issue but also framed climate action within the context of legacy and intergenerational responsibility. This result highlights how effective it is to present climate action as the legacy we're creating for future generations. It connects with our basic wish to be remembered positively, to make a meaningful contribution, and to safeguard our loved ones. This method goes beyond the immobilizing effect of doom and gloom, encouraging a feeling of responsibility, optimism, and a drive to take real action. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of tailoring messages to diverse audiences, acknowledging the complex landscape of climate communication. What resonates in one country or culture may not hold the same power in another, reminding us of the need for nuanced and context-sensitive strategies. The study also reaffirms the effectiveness of messages that emphasize scientific consensus and moral imperatives, suggesting a path forward that is both hopeful and grounded in shared ethical responsibilities. Fear alone cannot drive sustainable change; we need narratives that empower and unite us in collective action. #climateaction #climatecommunication #climatecrisis https://lnkd.in/dGzgMCyY