This is a traumatic, uncertain time. When and how to communicate about climate change is something that needs to be carefully thought through. Here are tips from Aiko Schaefer (Strategic Consultant), Edward Maibach (Director, George Mason University Center For Climate Change Communication), Jalonne White-Newsome (Senior Program Officer, The Kresge Foundation), Sian Wu (Managing Director, Resource Media), and Susi Moser (Director And Principal Researcher, Susanne Moser Research & Consulting) who shared their expertise in climate, public health and equity communications and engagement with Climate Access members on April 14, 2020.
1) Be Sensitive. It is very hard to deal with anything beyond the crisis at hand. Everyone is experiencing a level of trauma and some much more than others.
- Focus on reaching the climate base, youth and others who are more open to continuing the conversation.
- Carefully select words to avoid triggering fear. Switch from terms such as “fight”, “tackle”, or “battle” to ”heal”, “protect”, and “brave” instead.
- Express appreciation for public health professionals and frontline workers in communication efforts.
- Avoid positioning reductions in air pollution and emissions as a silver lining of COVID-19.
2) Connect the Dots Between Health, Economic, Community and Climate Resilience. Meet people where they are at. Most are focused on public health, the economy and survival. If climate communication efforts were not touching on these topics previously, now is the time to make an adjustment.
- Connect the dots between the health and climate crises. Climate change and COVID-19 are both public health emergencies that reveal vulnerabilities and injustices in our economy and society.
- A common root of these vulnerabilities is individual, institutional and structural racism. Link COVID-19 and climate change to ongoing crises that people are dealing with as a result of systemic injustice – the air pollution, housing, health care access and preparedness crises that limit people’s resilience to major shocks and stressors.
- Help amplify the stories of people and communities most impacted, the leaders working to prepare for extreme weather events in the COVID-19 crisis, and those developing innovative solutions that build economic, health and community resilience.
- Communicate the need for and help direct resources to those most at risk.
- Emphasize that coming out of COVID-19 stronger means addressing inequities. Solutions such as paid sick leave and universal health care benefits protect and benefit everyone.
3) Advocate for a Just Transition. Fossil fuel interests are at the table looking for stimulus money to do yesterday’s business. It is important to be talking about what tomorrow’s business looks like instead.
- Advocate for funds to support a transition to a better, more just economy and society that doesn’t pollute the air, water and climate.
- Most people think responding to climate change will be a hardship – a theme repeated by those opposed to climate action. Highlight that the faster we move on climate change the sooner we will enjoy the benefits.
- Don’t be too rosy – it won’t be easy but COVID-19 shows the benefit of acting quickly to limit harm.
- Learn from and align with the agendas of existing organizations and platforms addressing the needs of people in communities that have already developed just transition principals and frameworks, such as the Climate Justice Alliance and People’s Bailout. Tap into Sunrise Movement trainings on the Green New Deal and how it relates to COVID-19.
4) Leverage Shifts in Awareness and Attitudes. Now is not the time for fear, but people are trying to make sense of the world and how to move forward. Repeat themes that are gaining traction.
- We are all connected and in this together. Individual actions matter given our well-being is connected to one another and the planet.
- Paying attention to science and experts saves lives.
- Government action and coordination is necessary and beneficial.
Listen to the roundtable recording to hear more on the topic from our panel of experts.
