By Joanna Burris, for CALS501: Leading Climate Action in Society, Assignment 3
Based on the learnings from CALS 502, there are a few competencies that I would like to incorporate into my repertoire as a climate action leader. I believe that my role as a climate communicator has two key parts: 1) to help people see how they can benefit from climate action and 2) to break “climate action” down into manageable pieces. This also aligns with two of the three parts of the Message Triangle proposed by Bennett et al. (2021): the Benefits and the Pathway Forward. The third corner, the Challenge refers to explaining the issue at hand, the climate crisis and its associated threats, which is also important in many cases, but I do not believe it has the same potential to lead to meaningful change.
We know now that climate communication using the deficit model is not enough to evoke change. Studies show a majority of people understand and are concerned about climate change, but that concern isn’t translating to action or behavioural change (Howarth et al., 2020). Lewandowsky (2021) explains that we cannot assume that providing people with all the information will lead to action. Their culture and frames of reference will determine what they do with that information.
“The problem is not a knowledge deficit.”
Howarth, 2020
To inspire people to take climate action and change their behaviour, they have to see how their life – or the lives of people they care about – will be made better as a result. Using language about “emissions” or “climate change” does not resonate with everyone, for example people who are dismissive of climate change (Hine et al., 2016). This audience may, however, be receptive to conversations about health, the economy, or resilience to weather events. Climate messaging should be framed in ways that aligns with the culture and belief systems of the audience (Lewandowsky, 2021). In the context of my municipality’s efficiency financing programs, I find that while some homeowners are motivated to install solar panels or heat pumps to reduce their home’s greenhouse gas emissions, many more are motivated by the financial savings and improved comfort. It seems that the “do it for the environment” argument only works for a small segment of the population.
To inspire the amount of societal change that is required to address the climate crisis, climate communicators will need to help their audiences and communities to see the benefits of deep, transformative change. Citing Blythe et al. (2018), Gram-Hanssen et al. (2021, p. 682) identify “the imagining of alternative futures and ways of being” as central to transformation. Climate communicators can help people to imagine a better future for ourselves and our families, one that is more healthy, peaceful, equitable, safe, resilient, prosperous, and just.
Young (2021) reminds us that it is not just about imagining, but about remembering. Humans have known how to live sustainably on the Earth for thousands of years; we just need to remember and listen to Indigenous people who hold that knowledge (Wildcat, 2009).
“I think that’s the place where, for me, the real imagination lives, it lives in the ability to both imagine a different way of being in the world, a different set of relationships to each other.”
Gopal Dayaneni in Young, 2021
Climate change is a wicked problem that is intertwined with so many aspects of society. Often, people do not know where to start or do not see how they, as one person, can make a difference. Bennett et al. (2021) explain that it is important, in climate communication, to show real people doing real work and examples of solutions at the local scale. These can help people to visualize what role they may be able to play. Highlighting practical, relevant, and feasible solutions will resonate with many audiences and help them to visualize what is possible (Bennett et al., 2021; Hayhoe, 2018).
For those who are overwhelmed by the daunting task ahead of us, it is important to remember that no single person can solve this, as Robin Cox stated in our recent CALS 501 seminar (personal communication, September 12, 2022). It is about working together in community. Hine et al. (2016) cite studies that show that discourse about collective action is more likely to lead to action than discourse about individual action.
We also need to learn to accept imperfection (Robin Cox, personal communication, September 12, 2022). This comment from Robin resonated with me because I tend to want to do initiatives perfectly or not at all. This attitude will not get us where we need to be fast enough. We cannot wait for perfect data, perfect projections, or perfect solutions. We must act now with what we know, and as we learn more and know more, we can do better.
References
Bennett, A., Hatch, C., & Pike, C. (2021). Climate messaging that works: Talking energy transition and climate change in Canada. Climate Narratives Initiative. https://climateaccess.org/sites/default/files/Climate%20Messaging%20that%20Works%20-%20Talking%20Energy%20Transition%20and%20Climate%20Change%20in%20Canada.pdf
Blythe, J., Silver, J., Evans, L., Armitage, D., Bennett, N. J., Moore, M.-L., Morrison, T. H., & Brown, K. (2018). The dark side of transformation: Latent risks in contemporary sustainability discourse. Antipode 50,1206-1223. https://doi.org/10.1111/anti.12405
Gram-Hanssen, I., Schafenacker, N., & Bentz, J. (2021). Decolonizing transformations through ‘right relations’. Sustainability Science, (17). 673-685. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00960-9
Hayhoe, K. (2018). The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: Talk about it [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/katharine_hayhoe_the_most_important_thing_you_can_do_to_fight_climate_change_talk_about_it?language=en
Hine, D.W., Phillips, W. J., Cooksey, R., Reser, J. P., Nunn, P., Marks, A. D. G., Loi, N. M., & Watt, S. E. (2016). Preaching to different choirs: How to motivate dismissive, uncommitted, and alarmed audiences to adapt to climate change? Global Environmental Change 36, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.002
Howarth, C., Parsons, L., & Thew, H. (2020). Effectively communicating climate science beyond academia: Harnessing the heterogeneity of climate knowledge. One Earth 2(4), 320-324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.04.001
Lewandowsky, S. (2021). Climate change disinformation and how to combat it. Annual Review of Public Health 42, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-090419-102409
Wildcat, D. R. (2009). Red alert! Saving the planet with indigenous knowledge. Fulcrum Publishing: Golden, Colorado. pp. 1-13, 73-97 accessed from: https://www.academia.edu/40244785/Red_Alert_Saving_the_Planet_with_Indigenous_Knowledge_Daniel_Wildcat
Young, A. (2021). Gopal Dayaneni on the exploitation of soil and story [Podcast]. For the Wild. https://forthewild.world/listen/gopal-dayaneni-on-the-exploitation-of-soil-and-story-232