The Vanishing Voice of Climate Science: Why Preserving Climate Language Matters More Than Ever

Welcome to Climate Positive where we don't doom scroll, we celebrate progress. However, today I'm going to use my bully pulpit as a call to action. There is so little we can control right now, but that doesn't mean we can't act. Read on and let me know what you think of this.

The systematic erasure of climate language from government websites and official communications isn't just a policy shift – it's a crisis of knowledge preservation that demands immediate attention.?

We’re witnessing the quiet erasure of terms like "climate change," "global warming," and "greenhouse gas emissions" from government websites and official documents. This isn’t just semantics, it’s a deliberate effort to shift public perception and stall action. But here’s the reality: words shape how we understand the world. Without them, we risk losing our ability to fight for it.

Think of climate language as the foundation of our collective knowledge. Removing words doesn’t erase reality. It only makes it harder for people to grasp the scale of the challenge and the urgency of solutions. When I came across The Climate Dictionary I realized how important it is that we as a community safeguard these kinds of materials against misinformation and strategic silence. These are the tools to ensure everyone from corporate leaders to grassroots activists to families at home can communicate with clarity and precision.

The problem is, when climate language disappears from official sources, it vanishes from public discourse, too. This snowball effect is even more dangerous in the age of AI, where large language models are trained on available data. If climate terms are systematically removed, AI-generated content will reflect that absence, reinforcing a cycle where climate issues become less visible and urgent.

As climate professionals, we’re stewards of critical knowledge. Political shifts are temporary, but the consequences of climate change are not. Our role is to ensure that, no matter how the narrative is manipulated, the vocabulary of climate science remains intact and accessible.

Tips for Preserving Climate Language Amid Shifting Tides:

1. Root Climate Terms in Core Values – When faced with external pressure, tie climate language to the organization's core values. By doing so, terms like “carbon emissions” or “climate resilience” become intrinsic to the company’s identity, making them harder to erase even in uncertain times.
2. Provide Strategic Guidance – Instead of retreating from climate terminology, frame climate discussions in ways that resonate with diverse audiences. This may mean using terms that are less politically charged but still convey the urgency of climate action, and the science behind it.
3. Equip Leaders to Use Climate Language with Confidence – Leaders must be trained to speak about sustainability and climate change openly, even when facing opposition. With the right vocabulary and messaging, they can maintain clarity and integrity, ensuring climate language remains part of the conversation.

Now is not the time for passive observation. It’s time to double down on how we communicate about climate change. Whether you’re drafting sustainability reports, engaging stakeholders, having a precise, common language is critical. I can't believe I'm even saying it.

The words we protect today will shape the solutions of tomorrow.

And that’s all for this week’s issue! Please do share any positive news/stories you see that would be a fit. The more positivity and awareness we can build around progress, the more action we can inspire through hope. Like and follow if you'd like to see more. And if you'd like my team to help, tell your positive climate story, ping me at [email protected].

See you next week with more climate-positive stories. Until then, stay hopeful, stay inspired, and stay in action.