Download Communicating Climate Change and Peak Oil Messages

Communicating Climate Change
and Peak Oil Messages
TTK Open Meeting
10 June 2009
Background & Sources
In 2005, Defra led a cross-Government initiative to tell the story of climate change and
inspire collective action.
They engaged sustainability communications agency Futerra and a short film, adverts,
animations and a communications guide “The Rules of the Game” about how to build
awareness were produced.
In 2007, the initiative was rebranded ACT on CO2 and a new communications guide was
published aimed at changing behaviour: “New Rules: New Game”
The tips on the following slides are taken from the two Futerra communications guides
which are freely available at www.futerra.co.uk/revolution/leading_thinking
See also: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/actonco2/index.htm
Since these dates, awareness of Peak Oil has increased and the messages are just as
valid for Peak Oil as for Climate Change. Where climate change only is mentioned,
assume both.
Where there is particular relevance to Transition Town principles I have added a separate
note
Some Myths
Some myths about how to communicate climate change messages
and alternative takes on the old theories
• Use fear
– There is an old belief that if
we can scare people
enough they will take
action
– What happens in reality
often is that people retreat
when confronted with scary
facts
• Fear without “agency” –
the power or the belief
that one can effect
change – is useless.
– Giving people a sense of
responsibility is far more
effective
– The Transition Town
Movement principles
promote individual
responsibility
Myths (2)
• People will respond if
their survival is
threatened
– In reality the climate
change / peak oil threat is
too vast and vague to
cause this reaction
– The fight / flight reaction
only works with direct,
visible threats
• Make the threat more
relevant to people
(“Home not away”) and
they will respond better
– Transition Town brings the
relevance of climate
change and peak oil home
to people
Some Myths (3)
• Use the “your children’s
future” card
– People with children will
take up the cause of
fighting climate change to
ensure their children’s
future
• In a study*, people with
children were less likely
to be concerned about
climate change
– It is better when other
influencers - families,
friends, schools and health
service providers - identify
action on climate change
as part of being a “good
parent”
The Day after Tomorrow Survey found that 66% of those without children and 59% of those with
children considered climate change the most important issue
Some Myths (4)
• Beat down detractors
• The battle for public
acceptance of climate
change has been won
(and Peak Oil will
follow soon)
– Choose your audience
(the part converted)
and work on them
Some Myths
Some myths about how to communicate climate change messages
and how to really connect with people
• Appeal to “rational man”
– If you present a good case,
people will be convinced
• Current thinking says that
people are rational only
within the boundaries of
their knowledge and
abilities
– Moreover it is generally
accepted that people take
decisions based on
emotions, rather than
reason
– Where benefit / cost are
uncertain or unquantifiable,
a rational reaction is harder
to stimulate
Some Myths
Some myths about how to communicate climate change messages
and how to really connect with people
• Give out lots of
information
– The more the better
• On its own,
information is not
enough
– People are influenced
by other factors (e.g.
peer pressure)
– It is also a myth that
people will always be
driven by economic
motives
A New Way of Thinking
Positive
desires
Link climate
change
mitigation to
what people
want (like
the “sexPeripheral
sells-cars”
idea)
messages
If people see others, maybe
celebrities, behaving
ethically, they are influenced
subliminally
Front of
mind
I’ve
changed
my mind
The 30:3 rule: When asked
30% of people would
purchase ethically, but 3%
do (due to other distractions
once in the store)
Beware
cognitive
dissonance
If you challenge people of
the difference between their
attitude and their actions,
they are more likely to
change their attitude than
their actions
A New Way of Thinking (2)
• Link policy and communications
– Explain clearly
– Be consistent (don’t say one thing and do another)
• Style principles
– Use a trusted and credible voice
– Raise the status of mitigation (“it’s cool to care”)
– Use emotions and visuals (standard advice for communications)
• Effective Management
– Ongoing prioritisation (keep messages up-to-date with the facts)
– Sustain communications over time
– Partnered delivery (work with other organisations)
A New Way of Thinking (3)
• Change what’s socially acceptable
• Use peer pressure
• Help people to help/ feel like they are making a
difference (TT does this)
• Make solutions sound grander (climate change
mitigation can sound like the poor relative, because it
involves switching things off etc.)
• Make the good sound normal, the bad sound rare
• Have a likeable, authoritative messenger
• Try in a safe setting (TT support e.g. the food group,
does this)
• Keep it personal
A New Way of Thinking (4)
Beware
• The bystander effect (Others are
already dealing with the problem)
• Freeriders
• Tomorrow is less important
than today
• Totem behaviours
• Money as an incentive
(encourages weak behaviour change)
• The “sod off” factor
(“You must do this”. “No!”)
Use
• Salesmen tactics
– Foot in the door
– Haggling
– Reciprocity
• Experiences big and regular
(TT uses)
• Catalyst actions
• Label people (“you obviously
care…”)
• Keep compatible with rest of
people’s lives
• Catch people when they are
open to change
• Make it a pleasure (TT uses)