Balancing doom and solutions in climate messaging

Maybe the problem isn’t climate denial. Maybe it’s climate messaging. We’ve been attempting to scare or shame people into caring, and it’s not effective. Is it time to completely rethink how we talk about climate and sustainability? We've spent years trying to influence people through fear, data, and moral urgency. The results? Mixed. If we want genuine buy-in, we need to be honest about what’s isn’t working. Here are seven messaging mistakes we keep repeating. 1. Leading with Guilt and Doom: "We're killing the planet!" doesn't inspire - it overwhelms. Guilt sparks awareness, but rarely leads to action. 2. Talking About “The Planet” Instead of People People don’t wake up thinking about biodiversity - they think about bills, housing, jobs. Make climate personal. What can THEY GAIN out of changing their behaviour? 3. Assuming Rational Facts Will Change Behavior: 1.5°C Warming Is Essential, But Not Sufficient. Facts Inform, but Emotions Drive Action. 4. Using Elite, exclusionary language jargon, such as “net zero” and “green premiums,” alienates the majority. Sustainability can’t sound like it’s just for experts or elites. 5. Neglecting economic and social equity when we assume everyone can afford an EV or solar system, we lose trust. Green should be accessible to everyone - not just the wealthy. 6. Framing Green as Restriction, Not Opportunity: Less driving, flying, consuming... Where’s the upside? A green transition should feel like a win: lower bills, warmer homes, and cleaner air. 7. Treating Climate Like a Separate Issue. Climate isn’t separate from the economy, housing, or healthcare - it is those things. When we silo it, we shrink its relevance. So, how do we change the story? ✅ Speak to lived realities. Discuss how green policies improve everyday life, including jobs, bills, housing, and health. ✅ Shift from sacrifice to solutions. Replace “cut back” with “get more” - resilience, savings, mobility, and wellbeing. ✅ Make it simple. Use plain, human language. Instead of “decarbonize the grid,” say “cleaner, cheaper energy in every home. Help people to measure their carbon footprint.” ✅ Center fairness easily. Ensure that the benefits of sustainability are accessible - especially to those who have been historically excluded. ✅ Embed climate into everything. Don’t treat it like a separate crusade - show how it strengthens the economy, creates jobs, and benefits communities. ✅ Gemify climate action ✅ Give intrinsic value to change of behaviour and reducing carbon footprint. 👉 Time to stop scaring people into action - and start inspiring them with what’s possible. What language has been proven to be effective for climate and sustainability? Let’s share notes. ♻️ Repost this to help spread the word, please! 👉 Follow Gilad Regev for more insights like this.

We all participate in doom-scrolling and see climate headlines that leave us feeling helpless daily. So it’s no surprise that climate messaging that is purely data-based often fails to drive action. Here’s why: 1. Our brains are wired for stories, not statistics Climate data alone activates the analytical part of our brain, but decisions are driven by our emotions. For example: ❌ "1.5°C of warming" may not evoke much. ✅"Children born today will never experience a normal snow season in their hometown" instantly creates an emotional connection. 2. We’re overwhelming people with problems, not empowering them with solutions ❌ "Arctic ice is melting at unprecedented rates" creates anxiety. ✅ "Cities are creating urban forests to cool neighborhoods and absorb carbon—here’s how yours can too" sparks hope and action. 3. We’re missing the power of social proof Humans act based on what others do. Case in point: When a Sacramento neighborhood showed residents their energy usage compared to neighbors, consumption dropped 2% more than when they only saw environmental impact data. The most powerful climate messages don’t just inform—they inspire. What are some examples of great research that hasn’t been able to translate into effective climate messaging? Share both good and bad examples of climate messaging in the comments ⬇️ #ClimateCommunication #Sustainability #CorporateResponsibility #ClimateAction

Why hire a hypnotist to put your audience to sleep when you could just start talking net zero jargon? The problem isn’t the science. It’s the way we communicate it. And right now – when party conferences are shaping the future of energy policy, when scepticism about climate action is on the rise, and when global warnings are getting sharper – the stakes for getting this right couldn’t be higher. Too often, businesses fall into the same traps: 1. Technobabble: We drown people in “net zero pathways” and “geoengineering.” 2. Doom fatigue: We frame everything as a “last chance,” leaving audiences depressed and paralysed. 3. Moralising: We preach, turning climate into a culture war. 4. Invisible wins: We promise future gains when people are worried about bills today. 5. Exclusion: We let only elite voices speak, while communities feel left out. But we can fix it. By speaking plainly. By focusing on immediate, everyday impacts – warmer homes, cleaner air, lower bills, thriving communities, secure jobs. By using voices that reflect our societies and inviting people in, not shutting them out. Good communication doesn’t just raise awareness. It builds consent, confidence, and momentum. It turns scepticism into support and makes space for real progress. As leaders in energy and decarbonisation, many of you are delivering change that matters. Don’t let your messaging hold you back when the public debate is at a crossroads. Because this is the make-or-break moment. And how we talk about climate action now will decide whether people buy in or tune out.

This climate crisis ad went viral — because it did what most campaigns fail to do: Patagonia’s “We’re All Screwed” campaign hits you hard. At first glance, it feels bleak…a poem about the state of the climate crisis that makes it seem like we’ve reached the end of the road. But then…it says “Let’s run that back” And boom — the whole message flips. What felt like a hopeless crisis now turns into a message of possibility and action. Here’s the genius: Patagonia doesn’t just point out the problem; they force you to shift your perspective. They make you realize that, despite the doom and gloom, change is still possible. This is what great brands do: 1. Tell it like it is — People appreciate honesty, especially when it’s about real-world issues. 2. Flip the narrative — Instead of leaving you feeling powerless, they give you hope and a clear path forward. 3. Turn awareness into action — Don’t just inform people; empower them to take that next step. Patagonia’s not just talking—they’re inviting us to think differently and act. They’ve mastered the art of making you feel like part of the solution. That’s how you build a movement, not just sell a product.

The Psychology of Climate Change: Why Awareness Isn’t Enough? Climate change is one of the most significant challenges of our time, yet despite overwhelming scientific evidence and widespread awareness, meaningful action often lags behind. The issue isn’t just about policies or technologies; it’s about human psychology. Ø  Cognitive Dissonance: Many people acknowledge climate change but struggle to align their daily behaviors with sustainable actions. This gap between belief and behavior leads to inaction. Ø Present Bias: Humans are wired to prioritize immediate needs over long-term consequences. Climate change often feels like a distant problem until disasters strike. Ø  Social Influence: Our behaviors are shaped by those around us. Seeing leaders, businesses, and communities adopt sustainability fosters a sense of collective action. Ø Eco-Anxiety & Optimism Bias: Some feel overwhelmed by climate doom, while others believe technology or future solutions will solve the problem without personal action. Both perspectives can lead to inaction. So, how do we shift from awareness to action? ✅ Make climate action personal; show how it impacts local communities, finances, and personal well-being. ✅ Leverage behavioral nudges; small incentives, defaults, and social proof can drive sustainable choices. ✅ Reframe the narrative; instead of fear, emphasize innovation, resilience, and co-benefits like cleaner air and energy security. The psychology of climate change is as crucial as science itself.   #ClimatePsychology #BehavioralScience #Sustainability #ClimateAction

Climate doom and gloom - while it may be realistic, talking in these terms is unhelpful, according to this new study that shows presenting people with a dystopian vision of the future impacts of #climatechange actually blocks them from wanting to act to mitigate or adapt to these risks. In contrast, optimistic utopian narratives about the future are far more effective. Authors find this is because these visions trigger a sense of #hope - a key emotional driver of engagement and behavioural change. This has important implications for climate communication and advocacy. The findings suggest that fostering ‘constructive hope’ – anchored in realistic solutions and a sense of agency - may be more persuasive than leaning on fear, sadness and outrage. Simply put, fear without clear paths to action may lead to paralysis or denial, rather than meaningful change. (stars on the diagram are stat sig pathways only) Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/d5QD9m9s Want to harness behavioural insight for your sustainability goals, let’s connect. More from me on www.behaviorglobal.com #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #BehaviouralScience #ScienceCommunication #HopePsychology #EnvironmentalPsychology #ClimateHope #SustainabilityScience #ClimateSolutions #NetZero #FutureThinking #communication #behavioralscience #nudge

💡 💚 👉 "#Storytelling -- whether through fiction, documentary, data science of sociology, and however optimistic -- might seem a limp response to the #climatecrisis... But it's a tool that's available, cheap and endlessly renewable. And as a society, we will not act on #climatechange until we're convinced that our action is useful and urgent." Great story in today's NY Times from Alexis Soloski that aligns with our approach at The Cool Down: 🚫 Doom doesn't work -- when we focus on a doom and gloom message, there's an enormous risk that people get so overwhelmed and depressed that they don't do anything and don't see how they can make a difference. (h/t Katharine Hayhoe) 📺 Storytelling is an underrated and incredibly important tool in the climate solutions toolkit -- as Hannah Ritchie says, "In order to build a better world, you need to be able to envision one that is possible." Let's show people the innovations we already have to shape a better future. 💚 Let's be real about the situation we face -- but also remind people of the progress we're making. At The Cool Down, our writers include solutions in every article about the bad news -- and nearly 75% of our content is positive in nature. 🤝 We're in an all hands deck situation. We need all the things: individual action + business + government. We all have a part to play. This is how we're mobilizing 35M+ people a month to find themselves in the climate story -- let's not underestimate the ripple effect that can have. Go deeper: 👉 Here's our write up on "A Brief History of the World" from Kathryn Murdoch, Ari Wallach & the PBS team -- https://lnkd.in/g35XtRCU 👉 Highly recommend Hannah Richie's book, "Not the End of the World: How We Can be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet" as well as Katharine Hayhoe's book "Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World." 🎯 👉 Excited to read my former ABC colleague Bill Weir's new book, "Life as We Know It (Can Be)" 💚 #climatesolutions #climatecrisis #sustainability https://lnkd.in/gKVx_KAV

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. But how does social media impact our efforts to address it? 🤔 Did you know that social media can both amplify awareness and spread misinformation about climate change? ✅ A study found that: ✅ Exposure to climate change content on social media can increase concern and motivation to act by 27%. ❌ However, misinformation on social media can undermine climate action efforts, with 1 in 5 adults reporting they've shared false information. 🤔 Reflect on this: 1️⃣ How can you use social media to raise awareness about climate change without contributing to misinformation? 2️⃣ What role can you play in promoting fact-based discussions about climate change online? 3️⃣ How can you balance sharing alarming climate news with solutions-focused content? 💡 Tips to raise your awareness: 👉 Verify information: Check sources and fact-check before sharing climate-related content. 👉 Focus on solutions: Share stories of innovation, sustainability, and climate action. 👉 Engage constructively: Encourage respectful discussions and avoid echo chambers. The choices we make on social media matter. What will you do to make an impact? Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi #ClimateChange #SocialMedia #Sustainability

"We all have times when we feel anxious about our future; perhaps this is more acute for many people this summer, as we experience unprecedented wildfires and heat waves due to the warming climate. General anxiety intensifies climate or “eco”-anxiety." "This can spur some people to climate action, while for others it can lead to a state of paralysis and inactivity." In their article published earlier this year (https://lnkd.in/gNZRYR-5), Gary Pickering and Gillian Dale examined whether certain personality traits were associated with variations in pro-environmental values and climate change actions. They found that "gender, political affiliation, and the anxiety sub-facet of emotionality emerged as the strongest predictors of pro-environmental attitudes. In addition, the strongest predictors of climate change action were the anxiety sub-facet of emotionality, inquisitiveness, and sociability." "General anxiety is the tendency to worry about future events. This can be a good thing, motivating us to prepare for an event... But when worry becomes excessive or difficult to control, it can affect mental health and lead to generalized anxiety disorder, causing feelings of fatigue, restlessness and irritability, and reducing our ability to prepare.... people who have a strong connection to nature tend to have higher levels of climate anxiety, as they are more aware of the environmental changes happening around them." "News media, social media and government publications are primary sources of information about climate change. Communicators in these areas can help reduce excessive anxiety from their climate messaging by using positive gain-framed messages. For example, saying “if we all reduce our weekly meat consumption by just 20 per cent, we can reduce our carbon footprint by 30 per cent!” Instead of the loss-framed “if we do not all immediately reduce our meat consumption by 20 per cent, the planet will be unable to support human life by 2050”. Both statements may be valid, but the former is more effective at spurring action." "The urgency of the climate crisis requires structural changes at all levels of society, but also meaningful action at the individual level; there is much we can and must do. Our level of anxiety and how well we are supported will help determine how successful our response to this challenge will be." Source: https://lnkd.in/gYuKZbav #climatechange #climateemergency #climateanxiety #climateaction #mentalhealth Kim Perrotta MHSc Carol Mee Stephanie Gower

Can we make climate action feel happy instead of miserable...? That’s the question I was super excited to ask climate psychologist Dr. Jiaying Zhao, who is coined the term “behavioural sustainability”. Her answer was a resounding, "yes!". And she shared some incredible insights for communicators and storytellers working in climate. JZ joined me on the TEDxLondon #ClimateCuriousPod recorded live at TED 2024 to chat climate and cheer, sharing insights on how to type into the fundamentals of psychology to boost your climate message and ensure greater resonance. In this ep, JZ shares: 🌟 Why joy beats doom and gloom 🧠 Which messages and tactics are psychologically proven to work best 😑 Examples of climate comms approaches that are counterproductive Some memorable quotes from JZ: 💬 ”Maybe happiness is key to climate action.” 💬 ”We should take climate actions that not only reduce emissions, but also increase our own happiness at the same time.” 💬 “Instead of net zero or decarbonisation, we should emphasise the desirable things people should do instead. So, accelerate green energy growth.” 🌎🎧 Go listen now: https://lnkd.in/eHmC6yPE #climateaction #climatejoy #climatecomms #climatestorytelling #climatepsychology #climatehappy #happiness #climatecommunications With thanks to TED Conferences No. 29 Communications