6 Key Lessons on Talking Climate in Your Community
Last week, we released our latest research report, Let’s Talk Climate: Messages to Motivate Americans. Collaborating with Lake Research Partners, ASO Communications, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, ecoAmerica has developed market-tested messages designed to engage Americans on climate solutions and help mayors communicate with their communities.
The research revealed communication strategies that help city and community leaders link climate change to mainstream American values and concerns, and are designed to help city leaders engage members of their community. These 6 strategies include:
- Focus locally: tap into the strong personal value of community
- Focus collectively: invoke “we” to indicate that this is a challenge that we face together
- Appeal to families: we work towards climate solutions to provide the best for our families and ourselves
- Connect clean energy to a prosperous life: show that renewables bring about benefits that are tangible—give examples using a positive, can-do tone
- Provide tangible, local solutions: use examples that can bring about personal, family, health, and community benefits
- Shift quickly from pessimistic sentiments to solutions: while some focus on the perpetrators of climate change may be unavoidable, attention should be quickly refocused on how to meet the challenges of climate change via local actions and by empowering communities
Mayors and local leaders must utilize the most up to date information to communicate effectively on climate. By striking a can-do tone, focusing on making changes at the local level, and identifying climate change as our collective problem, mayors can lead their communities and meet the challenges of a changing climate. For more information on becoming a more effective climate communicator, visit ecoAmerica and download the full report.