Let's Talk... about climate action.

Do you realize that there is no national public engagement campaign in Canada for climate action?

The most important challenge facing Canadians today, with a target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, and we don't have a major social marketing and public engagement campaign. You know, something like ParticipACTION for Climate Change, or the new One Tonne Challenge.

We have tonnes of promotional and policy advocacy campaigns, and social marketing campaigns for individual solutions, but what I am talking about is a nation-wide climate action campaign to engage Canadians and help them take action - in their own way and for their own reasons.

Well, with your help, that's about to change.

I am proposing a Canada-wide movement-based campaign called Climate Leaders. The goal is to create a nation of climate leaders; to (1) recognize the actions taken to date by the public and businesses to reduce energy and prepare for climate change, and to (2) encourage and help them to do more. It will help Canadians prepare for extreme weather, save on energy bills or invest in renewable power or home energy systems, find better ways to commute, grow their own food, and build more complete communities. It will harness the power of individual choice to help us make the transition to a better future.

I call it a "movement-based" campaign, because it should be supported by (and benefit) organizations, climate-friendly businesses, and all levels of governments across Canada. A common campaign, promoted by a national movement and which helps build an even stronger social movement in support of a better future.

I have posted information on the proposed campaign on the Climate Action website at www.climateaction.ca/climate-leaders-campaign. I'd like to see the full campaign up and running by the end of 2016.

Those who know me know that I tend to think big. I've drafted transition strategies, developed campaigns, and sparked new ideas like the Live Green Toronto membership card and Jane's Walk and spent several years analyzing how to improve Canada's conservation and sustainability movement.  I make no apologies for it - we need to think collectively and big if we are to make a difference. Climate Leaders is no exception.

I also look for solutions that can work. I call it "radical pragmatism". Climate Leaders turns conventional notions of social marketing on its head with the approach of "movement-based" social marketing, but as you will see in the background paper, the idea was tested on a highly successful Doors Closed campaign for energy conservation.

However, being a "big idea", it is clearly a far bigger project than one person can manage. I need your help.

As I see it, there are four ways we can get this campaign off the ground:

1. Think Big: We can set up a national or provincial development team and advisors to pull the campaign together - senior players (NGOs, foundations, businesses and governments) in the climate change field who can underwrite the development costs and/or who are willing to be part of a collaboration to shape the campaign.
    
2. Think Small: We can build the campaign from the ground up. If there are groups or municipalities that are willing to pilot the campaign with their members or in their community, we can test how well the campaign can be integrated into existing outreach and communication channels, and how it can best support existing support programs for climate-related activities. Fill in the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NCXVF8M 
    
3. Think Inside the Box: If you are thinking, "Damn, we need to do this for our public outreach campaign", perhaps some of these ideas can help. I'd be happy to work as an advisor in support of your own branded campaign.
    
4. Think Outside the Box: Innovators are welcome. If you share our goal, think of ways you can build on the core concepts with applications or programs. This is, after all, a movement-based campaign.

Let's get Canada moving on climate action. Let's talk.