This document discusses strategies for improving climate change communication. It suggests that using doomsday images of climate impacts is not effective and promotes apathy. Instead, communications should focus on solutions, be tailored to audiences, and appeal to people's values. Bringing people together in communities and focusing on practical solutions can help drive climate action better than emphasizing risks alone.

1. Looking for solutions in climate change communications
Michelle Kovacevic
Editor, ForestsClimateChange.org
Twitter: @kovamic

2. Doomsday images = climate change

4. From Center for Research on Environmental Decisions
People think climate
change is “tomorrow’s
problem”

5. Outline
• The Messages
• The Models
• The Media

6. “Indonesia Still at High Risk of
Catastrophic Fires”
Why doesn’t the
forestry sector use
more positive
images to inspire
action?

7. Lots of information and ideas…but it is scattered
all over

9. ed to invest
r energies in
thways
wards
utions

10. Illustration by Frits Ahlefeldt (Hiking Artist)
Solutions = interesting
(and sometimes weird) ideas

11. Consider the
needs and
preferences of
your audience

12. Policy-orientated
research:
breaking down
problems and
suggesting
tailored
solutions

13. Don’t mention “climate change”
but conservation, energy
efficiency…

14. ForestsClimateChange.org
Synthesizing information on forests & climate issues
Follow us!
@forestsCC

15. People who feel
isolated do not t
action on climat
change
-BBC Media Action’s
Asia study

16. Build communities through
events and conferences

17. Root
communication
campaigns in
peoples’ values

18. pacity
ilding and
ining goes a
ng way

19. Need to focus
on how to fix
what is broken

20. News headline 6 months after fires : “Indonesia
Risk of Catastrophic Fires”
We shouldn’t ignore the problem, but should we
continue framing the debate?