The climate science/information consumption disconnect?

Having had a week off to rest and recharge the batteries, I inevitably found myself spending a lot of time thinking about the climate crisis – after all, it’s hard not to. Once again, we’re seeing searing levels of heat globally, the unprecedented is quickly becoming the norm. I managed to watch with horror the VT on Good Morning Britain that was like a scene from Don’t Look Up, it’s hard not to laugh at these asinine ditties until you remind yourself of the grim reality that besets us all.

For me this is yet another reminder, as if needed, of the constant challenge those of us trying to shape the narrative around the climate crisis are facing. And I’ve never been more convinced that the battle lines of the climate crisis are fundamentally framed by communications. Whether that be direct lobbying, news media, marketing, social media, digital media or the TV and films you choose to watch; good, bad or indifferent they driving what people see, think and ultimately understand about climate change.

Those within the climate community are often painted as hysterical, sensationalist or scaremongering and I’m being kind. But the truth is they, and we, are none of those things – we are simply reflecting what consensus science has told us for decades now. That science is both abundant and clear, despite what deniers and delayers might want you to think.

But as stark as the picture that science is painting is about the realities that the planet faces, it also provides us with a huge amount of hope and even optimism. The more I’m exposed to the latest climate science by working with CCAG the more I am convinced that we have the science at our fingertips to solve the climate crisis. Be that electrification of grids, innovations in CO2 removal or biomimicry techniques that have the potential to repair parts of our broken planet; there are solutions to the biggest question of our time.

Make no mistake, systemic change is needed at a global level, after all every issue we are facing today has direct links to the climate crisis. Therefore, climate should be at the heart of every government decision being made, everywhere. But what an opportunity systemic change presents for the world. An opportunity to place fairness and equity at the centre of global policy and finance, the chance to ensure the planet’s biodiversity is safeguarded and ultimately to reshape a safe and manageable future for humanity.

It’s OK to be trepidatious about the scale of the challenge we face, it’s tough not to be. But I for one am hopeful and even excited for the possible future we can create.

Bringing this back to where I started, the information most people are consuming every day. From marketing materials to politicians and religious leaders, even of course a Netflix series they might be binging – depending on your culture and background there’s a plethora of things that influence our opinions and beliefs. When I think of the systemic change we need to see, it extends to all of these touch points. How do we embed climate literacy and acknowledgement into every area of our global society?

A few certainties to start…powerful fossil fuel lobbies must be felled, greenwashing in all its forms ended, global mainstream media re-aligned, social media de-toxified and our television screens better representing the climate reality are the first of many things that come to mind but there are undoubtedly many more things to add to the list!

I happen to believe that all these things can and will change. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time in the presence of some of the young people looking to accelerate these changes. And they are hungry and driven; I think they’ll succeed, so we need to be there to help shape the vision and the future we all deserve.

So how can we address the disconnect between the scientific reality and the narrative that people are consuming every day? It’s a big job, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers and I also don’t want to downplay the scale of the challenge by presenting a set of fairly straightforward ideas as the answer. But I do want to share some thoughts on what we might be able to do better to start to flip the narrative.

Be honest

Sometimes the natural reaction to being accused of scaremongering is to give a simplistic vision of a better greener future. Indeed, that may well be a true vision, but there’s likely to be plenty of disorder and even failures along the way.

I like to use the example of an equitable energy transition; we know it must happen and that it will provide plenty of opportunity. Provided it is done in an equitable way, we must accept that the destination is more important than the journey and therefore we might have to embrace some disorder. When we talk about the energy transition, we have to be honest about these challenges and what they might mean or else we risk immediate dissent when things don’t follow the perfect journey we might be tempted to sell.

People buy into honesty, it might not always be easy, but it will pay off in the long run.?

Be authentic

If you’re talking like you know you should care about the climate crisis but acting like you don’t people will sniff it a mile off. That goes for everyone, politicians, journalists, brands and individuals. Take the time to understand why this matters so much, be committed to real action, and take people on that journey with you. Telling stories that resonate is a powerful way to mobilise groups of people. Conversely, if people perceive inauthenticity, it will switch them off and of course damage reputations.

Be constructive

It’s easy to be disparaging of others, particularly when the issues are emotive, which almost everything climate related is. That doesn’t mean we have to make everything positive, because not everything is positive. But being constructive and offering credible solutions and pathways is a must if we are going to grow and thrive as a community.

Be accessible

The nuance here is, that doesn’t mean every piece of communication has to be accessible for every person. Rather, make sure your communications are accessible to your target audience. If you can find the common ground between what matters most to you and what matters most to the audience, you are trying to speak to it is so much more likely to resonate.

There you have it, a collection of holiday musings. Far too long and meandering but hey that’s what you get after a week of reflection! Nothing here is new or ground-breaking but it’s certainly helped sharpen my mind and focus. Feel free to agree or disagree heartily in the comments if you so wish!