Climate Change Messaging

🌍 Ten Years After Paris: is the Climate Crisis a Disinformation Crisis? In 2015, the world made a historic promise: to keep global warming well below 2°C, and ideally below 1.5°C. We committed to major emission cuts by 2030, and net-zero by 2050. The Paris Agreement marked a new era of global climate cooperation. But ten years on, we're still struggling with cooperation while the World Meteorological Organization tells us that the Earth’s average temperature exceeded 1.5°C over a 12-month period (Feb 2023–Jan 2024) for the first time. Why? 🔍 A groundbreaking new study, led by 14 researchers for the International Panel on the Information Environment, reviewed 300 studies from 2015–2025. The findings are alarming: powerful interests – fossil fuel companies, populist parties, even some governments – are systematically spreading misleading narratives to delay climate action. 🧠 Misinformation isn't just about denying climate change. It’s now about strategic skepticism – minimizing the threat, casting doubt on science-based solutions, and greenwashing unsustainable practices. 📺 This disinformation flows through social media, news outlets, corporate reports, and even policy briefings. It targets all of us – but especially policymakers, where it can shape laws and delay critical decisions. 💡 So what can we do? 1️⃣ Legislate for transparency and integrity in climate communication. 2️⃣ Hold greenwashers accountable through legal action. 3️⃣ Build global coalitions of civil society, science, and public institutions. 4️⃣ Invest in climate and media literacy for both citizens and leaders. 5️⃣ Amplify voices from underrepresented regions – like Africa – where more research is urgently needed. We must protect not only the planet’s climate, but the integrity of climate information. 🔗 Read more on how disinformation is undermining climate progress – and what we can do about it: https://lnkd.in/eDN9hKAJ 🕰️ The window is small. But with truth, science, and collective action, we can still turn the tide.

Sustainability officers are an increasingly endangered species. Last week, I spoke with a group of sustainability officers navigating a corporate landscape where terms like CSR, ESG, and climate change have become dirty words, or at least politically charged. Many companies are pulling back from public commitments on sustainability—not necessarily because the urgency has diminished, but because the risk of backlash has grown. In this environment, nature and biodiversity are emerging as safer entry points for corporate sustainability efforts. While climate change is often framed as a divisive issue, nature remains more broadly accepted across political & ideological lines. 👉 Why nature can be a less controversial framing Many companies are using nature as a strategic way to maintain environmental commitments while avoiding political entanglements. Here’s why: 🌳 Universality & positive connotations – Nature is widely seen as something to be cherished, regardless of political views. Protecting forests, oceans, and wildlife can carry fewer ideological conflicts than decarbonization mandates or carbon pricing. 🤝 Reduced partisanship – Climate discussions frequently spark debates over regulations, economic costs, and industry impact. In contrast, nature-based initiatives—such as habitat restoration, conservation, and biodiversity projects—are less likely to be viewed as partisan issues. 🌱 Tangible local impact – Nature-focused projects have visible, immediate benefits: cleaner air & water, restored landscapes, and healthier ecosystems. These local, concrete outcomes resonate more than global climate targets, which can feel abstract or distant. ⛈️ Strategic communication – By framing sustainability efforts around nature, companies can continue advancing environmental goals—like emissions reduction—without explicitly linking them to politically charged climate policies. 👉 The resilience narrative: An even broader framework For some companies, even protecting nature is seen as too controversial. That’s where another concept is gaining traction: resilience. One sustainability officer shared how their company avoids even the word "nature" in favor of resilience-focused language: ✅ Resilient supply chains that withstand environmental & geopolitical disruptions ✅ Resilient infrastructure that adapts to extreme weather & resource scarcity ✅ Resilient business models that reduce risk & increase long-term stability By focusing on resilience, companies can integrate sustainability into their strategy without triggering resistance—not as an ideological stance, but as a smart business decision. As the political landscape shifts, sustainability officers are finding new ways to keep moving forward. Whether through nature-based solutions or resilience framing, the goal remains the same: building a future where businesses & ecosystems can thrive together. If you're in this space, how are you navigating the current climate? 📷 Olympic Peninsula by me.

A super-majority of the world's citizens (from 74% in the US to 89% in parts of Europe) want their governments to do more about climate change, but the majority of that group is convinced they're a minority. That perception gap has a silencing effect that in turn enables politicians to think they can continue serving the interests of polluting industries with impunity. The media bears some responsibility for that gap. From taking the bait on false equivalence to creating the fossil fuel industry's advertorials pushing false solutions to treating advocates like criminals, media coverage of climate has often perpetuated the idea that only a fringe minority wants action or is willing to pay for it. In the new Climate Social Science Network book Climate Obstruction: A Global Assessment, Melissa Aronczyk and Max Boykoff led a chapter pulling together the peer-reviewed research on the media's role in climate obstruction, and a new book coming from Michelle Amazeen later this month looks at how advertorials in particular have been used to misinform the public on climate. As I wrote in The Nation, the media contributed to the creation and persistence of the perception gap on climate, but it's also uniquely positioned to close it. https://lnkd.in/gUYRAssR #climate #media

Sustainability Communication Essentials 🌍 Effective communication is pivotal in translating corporate sustainability efforts into meaningful impact. It not only educates but also engages various stakeholders, ensuring that the initiatives are not just seen but also acted upon. This process begins by grounding communication in scientifically sound principles and extends through redefining corporate norms, altering behaviors, and advocating for broader policy shifts. Leading with science ensures that businesses base their sustainability claims and strategies on robust, evidence-based information. Clear and transparent communication methods empower stakeholders to make informed decisions, which is essential for integrating sustainable practices effectively across business operations. Redefining values within the corporate sphere involves highlighting new role models who redefine what success looks like in a sustainable society. Employing inclusive marketing strategies that emphasize the environmental, cultural, and social benefits of sustainable practices can significantly alter stakeholder perceptions and behaviors towards sustainability. Transforming behaviors and practices is about shifting the corporate focus away from promoting unnecessary consumption towards advocating for practical, sustainable solutions. This approach not only helps in reducing the environmental footprint but also sets a new standard for operational efficiency and responsibility in daily business practices. Driving advocacy involves mobilizing public support and influencing policy changes, which are critical for scaling sustainability efforts beyond individual organizations. Engaging with policymakers and industry leaders to advocate for systemic changes ensures that sustainability becomes a standard consideration in industry-wide practices and regulations. In conclusion, for businesses committed to sustainability, the effectiveness of their communication strategy can determine their impact. By focusing on these key areas, companies can not only ensure compliance with sustainability standards but also lead in the transformation towards a more sustainable business landscape. This strategic approach to communication encourages a culture of sustainability that aligns with global goals and garners genuine stakeholder engagement. #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #climateaction #impact #strategy

Death by Carbon Count. Murdered by Metrics. Spent Saturday morning in the supermarket. Not shopping for groceries. Hunting for proof. Proof that sustainability doesn't have to hide in a 200-page report or get lost in a spreadsheet jungle. I was benchmarking. Looking for brands getting it right, right there on-shelf. Recycled content worn like a badge. Carbon savings turned into conversation starters. Supply chains told as stories worth reading. Earlier that week, I'd sat through a sustainability presentation what might've been the driest sustainability presentation known to man. My mind drifted... Slide after slide of numbers that all blurred together. (anyone that knows me, knows I'm not a numbers person!). Then one simple infographic popped up. A town rebuilding after a storm. Suddenly I wasn't reading data. I was there. That's the power of visual storytelling. And that's exactly what belongs on-pack. Because if sustainability only lives in a strategy deck, it won't reach the people it needs to. It has to show up where it counts. On screen. On shelf. In hand. Consumers don't connect with decimals. But they remember the juice bottle that paired its footprint with its flavour. The chocolate box that gave a factory a face. That's sustainability with a pulse. Told at eye level. Every brand has the data. Recycled content. Sourcing claims. Emission charts. Few turn those numbers into something you can see, feel, or understand at a glance. That's your opportunity. Start with communicating the aim. What's the story? Plastic-free future? Circular design? Local impact? Add then these to the pack in a simple, engaging way. Spell things out. Then show the Actors. The growers. The drivers. The factory floor. Put people on the pack, not just percentages. Frame the Aspiration. Kitchens where scraps become tomorrow's meal. Beaches without litter. Gardens with bees. Paint the picture. Vividly. Visuals stick. Corny but true. Get it right, and your packaging doesn't just exist. It engages, educates and builds trust. What's your packaging saying right now? Message clear, or lost in the bin? _______________________________ Kicking off hashtag#30WildPackagingWins. I'll be posting an example of sustainable packaging every day this month in the run-up to the Sustainable Packaging Summit 📅 When: 10th–12th November 2025 📍 Where: Utrecht, Netherlands If you're into new ideas, new materials, new formats, and the occasional curveball, follow along. Thinking of joining the summit? Use LISAC20 for 20% off tickets. Details in the comments. Hope to see you there! #SPS2025 #SustainablePackagingSummit

As marketers, we've been sold a myth: that consumers will prioritize sustainability above all else. But what if that's not true? 📚 Research by Andreas Gathen, Nicolai Broby Eckert, and Caroline Kastbjerg of Simon-Kucher shows that even the most well-intentioned consumers struggle to make sustainable choices. So, what's the real solution for marketers? 🤔 Reflect on this: 1️⃣ How do you currently incorporate sustainability into your marketing strategy, and what challenges do you face? 2️⃣ What role do you think marketing plays in driving sustainability, and how can you leverage your influence? 3️⃣ How can you create marketing campaigns that support sustainable choices, rather than relying on consumer willpower? 💡 Tips for Marketers: 👉 Focus on benefits, not just features: Instead of just highlighting the sustainable features of your product or service, focus on the benefits it provides to consumers. 👉 Use social norms to drive behavior: Highlight how others are making sustainable choices, and use social norms to drive behavior. 👉 Make sustainability convenient: Make sustainable choices easy and convenient for consumers, rather than expecting them to make sacrifices. 👉 Lead by example: Use your marketing platform to promote sustainability and lead by example. 👉 Measure and optimize: Measure the impact of your sustainability marketing efforts and optimize your strategy accordingly. 🚀 Try These Mindset Shifts: ✅ From "Sustainability is a niche market" to "Sustainability is a business imperative." ✅ From "Consumers will prioritize sustainability" to "Consumers need to be incentivized to make sustainable choices." ✅ From "Sustainability marketing is about features" to "Sustainability marketing is about benefits." #marketingstrategy #consumerbehavior #thoughtleadership #thethoughtleaderway

How do you talk about sustainability and climate issues in your company? If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to make sustainability resonate with your team, you’re not alone. At Microsoft, for example, they’ve found that speaking the right "language" makes all the difference. Being a tech company, their conversations around sustainability are deeply rooted in a quantitative, data-driven approach after all, they’re engineers at heart. They use the same principles that drive their technology to frame sustainability risks and opportunities. But what if your company isn’t full of engineers? Every organization speaks its internal language, whether that’s the analytical mindset of finance, the creativity of marketing, or the operations-driven approach of manufacturing. Tailoring sustainability messaging to align with these unique perspectives can bridge the gap, making it easier for employees to see how it connects to what they do every day. One thing is clear across all industries though: the language of science is essential. Whether you're talking to your marketing team, engineers, or executives, scientific facts are the backbone of any meaningful conversation about sustainability. Data on carbon footprints, climate risks, and environmental impacts provide a foundation everyone can work with. According to the IPCC, we need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030 to stay on track with climate goals numbers. Take Unilever, for example. They made sustainability a part of their company culture by translating climate goals into everyday actions for each department. Their marketing team talks about sustainable sourcing, while their R&D team focuses on lowering the carbon footprint of products. By embedding sustainability into every part of the business, Unilever is empowering all employees to contribute, leading to a 32% reduction in their environmental impact. Sustainability isn’t a one-size-fits-all conversation. But when you frame it in terms that make sense to your team, it becomes part of how your business thinks and operates every day. So, how will you start the conversation within your organization?

While climate issues face growing geopolitical pressures, the challenge of communicating them in ways that truly connect with people was inevitable. For too long, our conversations have focused on targets, numbers, and distant timelines, too often leaving people out of the story. Now, as we enter a new era of climate action, one defined by implementation rather than just ambition, we have an opportunity to change the approach. This is the moment to show what’s already being done and what’s possible, to centre and co-create solutions with people and communities most impacted. This shift must be about much more than reducing emissions, it must also tackle existing inequalities, move beyond individual responsibility toward systems that enable millions to act, and set out a clear, hopeful vision of a just transition that people can see themselves in and that they are supported to participate in. Communicating a future of tangible progress, inclusion, and shared possibility is now one of our most powerful tools for accelerating real climate action. https://lnkd.in/eU4vGcGS