Climate Change Communications

Social research confirms the growing concern among campaigners that the language (by which we mean the narratives, storylines, phrases and even words) used to describe climate change and the low carbon future is failing to inspire people.  At the same time, the denial lobby is promoting counter-narratives that often speak more effectively to people’s values and aspirations.

COIN wishes to create a positive, inspirational and progressive discourse and language on climate change.  The aim is to significantly shift the wider discourse on climate change from the current apocalyptic view to a more optimistic and confident understanding, that will encourage and enable more action.

How we work

Since its founding in 2004, COIN has worked to find the best ways to communicate climate change issues to a wide variety of audiences.  Initiatives have ranged from the launch of its ground-breaking Speaker Training series in 2006 to advising the British Council on creating a communications strategy.

COIN works with different constituencies, that have a defined audience, values and a strong interest in developing new language on climate change. COIN’s current constituencies include government departments and local authorities, refugee and human rights NGOs, trade unions, low carbon campaigners, academics and scientists, as well as community climate action groups and networks.

Within these constituencies we use a roundtable format to bring together multidisciplinary working groups of specialists, practitioners and communicators to share ideas and criticisms in a confidential environment. This process generates conclusions and actions with broad based support.  We have already used this method effectively to discuss approaches to climate change with Refugee and Migrant groups (link), as well as working with the Climate Change Communication Advisory Group (CCCAG) to DECC.  COIN also contributes to working groups,

COIN also works with a wide variety of partners to produce strategies, materials (from leaflets to ‘how to’ guides) and training courses on the communication of climate change.  Throughout its projects, COIN rigorously tests new approaches to language and discourse, using questionnaires, interviews, focus groups and new techniques such as dial testing.

Current communications work

Common Cause

COIN is part of an ongoing working group including FOE, CPRE, Oxfam and WWF. This first publication, Common Cause, lays out the case for climate change campaigners to seek change in values and ‘deep frames’ across all sectors of our society,  rather than ‘nudging’ or ‘marketing’ climate change to a segmented population. In the past, campaigners have either used the Enlightenment model of our brains, ‘give people enough information and they will understand the problem’, or social marketing ‘segment the audience and fit the message to existing values’. Common Cause argues that such approaches do not create sufficient change within the timescale we have. We need to encourage values of empathy, concern for future generations, and recognition that human prosperity lies with our relationships and communities - changing the deep frames which govern the way we think about our world.

To download the report click here

For more information, commentary and resources, click on the link to visit the Common Cause website

DECC advisory paper

George Marshall has been working with the Climate Change Communication Advisory Group (CCCAG), who have produced a short advisory paper for DECC on how to shape mass public communications aimed at increasing public concern about climate change and motivating behavioural changes.

CCCAG's aim is to use current academic research and practitioner-based expertise to best inform government and nongovernmental climate change communications and engagement.  It represents a diverse range of individuals from academia and the third sector, with expertise in climate change communication and engagement.

To download the paper click here.

'Climate Refugee' Round Table

For more information click here or visit the Refugee and Migrant pages.

How to engage your community and communicate on climate change

COIN has produced a 'How to' guide for Energy Savings Trust's Green Communities, on how to communicate about climate change for community organisations.  See the EST's website or download the expanded version here.

Click here for further communications resourses and publications by COIN and our partners.

Communications Training and Strategy Development

COIN offers standard as well as bespoke training courses that are developed to suit your requirements, such as:

Communicating Climate Change: A one-day course covering the latest research on belief and behaviour, conflicting mass media messages and overcoming denial and evasion.

For more information on training courses visit the Training pages.

If you would like us to support you on climate change communication strategies within your organisation or sector, please contact George Marshall on george@coinet.org.uk