Climate Communicators Refine Messages in New Political Era

Environmental leaders have no time to waste. The climate crisis is intensifying, with record-breaking levels of heat and carbon emissions. Meanwhile, the federal government is dismantling major climate programs and slashing green-energy incentives.

In this turbulent political era, many climate leaders are refining their communication strategies. To counter feelings of despair, activists are focusing on solutions and providing a sense of community. They hope to counter disinformation, while also reaching people across the political divide.

The environmental leaders are diverse, from a wide range of fields. These include meteorology, health care, technology, communications, and the arts.

The focus is on clear, easy-to-understand language. The specific messages are tailored to the audience, in order to resonate with their values and concerns.

It’s a balancing act: conveying the urgency of the moment, while also instilling hope for the future. In this way, they hope to boost support for pro-environment policies and policymakers.

Budget Cuts Become Personal

To many people, environmental policies can seem abstract. In her role as spokesperson for Climate Power, Christina Polizzi tries to make climate issues relevant to people’s daily lives.

The group advocates for strong environmental protections. Through social media, Climate Power works with digital creators to describe the benefits of clean energy.

The group highlights the real-life impacts of the administration’s policies. One example: the massive cuts to NOAA and FEMA. The result could be less accurate and less timely weather alerts, and fewer resources for disaster response, according to Polizzi.

Climate Power also highlights the economic ramifications - on issues ranging from energy bills to job losses.

“We’re making sure people understand those real impacts,” Polizzi said.

Energizing Supporters of Climate Science

For a long time, many climate communicators focused on a doomsday narrative. Although that motivates some people, it doesn’t work with others, according to Ryan Schleeter, spokesperson for The Climate Center. Instead, the focus should be on values and progress, he said.

The nonprofit group supports policies to address climate change in an equitable way. It tries to reach people in California who support climate solutions – whether or not they’re involved in the movement.

For this audience, some core values are family and safety, according to Schleeter.

For working-class people, “climate change” as an abstract notion might not be a top priority. However, when it’s discussed as a matter of stability and security, the issue might resonate with them.

“Climate change is the ultimate disrupter,” he said. “It disrupts life.”

One goal is to describe how clean energy can reduce disruptions. For example, during a power outage in the neighborhood, solar panels and battery storage can provide some backup power.

Another theme is the economic benefit of green energy – such as high-quality green jobs and lower electricity bills.

In addition, the center also urges California legislators to support green energy. It emphasizes the value of clean-energy innovation, which can enhance the state’s reputation.

The group reaches people through a variety of channels, including e-mail, text and Zoom meetings.

The goal is to avoid relying on any one platform –especially third-party platforms owned by profit-driven corporations. On these sites, abrupt changes to social-media algorithms can make it more difficult to reach people, Schleeter noted.

“We don’t want to be dependent on those platforms to reach our audience,” he said.

Green Jobs

In the quest for climate solutions, economic themes can be very powerful.

In Illinois, the government and industry have joined forces to promote green jobs. TCCI Manufacturing recently opened a “Clean Energy Innovation Hub,” in partnership with the state government and Richland Community College. The company makes battery-cooling and air-conditioning compressors for electric vehicles.

The hub could help address labor shortages in the clean-energy field. It includes an assembly line, workforce academy, and a research-and-development facility.

At the new workforce academy, the curriculum will include advanced engineering, advanced manufacturing, and computer science. The skills can be applied to many industries, said Kara Demirjian Huss, the company’s senior vice president.

When developing communication strategies, she explains the benefits of decarbonization. It’s a complicated topic, and she tries to make it understandable.

The specific message varies by audience. For policymakers, a key focus is economic data. When developing a message for industry, the emphasis is on innovation and competitiveness. For the general public, the focus is jobs, health and affordable energy.

The company gets the word out in several ways, including social media and community outreach.

Local Communities

Some groups are helping local communities cope with extreme weather. Two nonprofits that share this goal are Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) and Climate Resolve.

USDN helps sustainability officers in local government. The organization provides resources to help them serve their communities, said Deneine Christa Powell, chief executive of USDN.

One key program is supporting resilience hubs, which help people during everyday situations and extreme-weather events. The hubs are gathering spaces for local residents, meeting the specific needs of each region.

USDN spokesperson Tim Kobussen describes resilience hubs as “the work of the future.”

“As the weather becomes more of a challenge, we need to provide places where communities can get the resources they need,” he said.

For climate communicators, the goal is to develop trust with their audience, while also being creative with their storytelling.

Videos are a powerful way to tell climate stories. USDN has a series of videos about different regions, including West Maui, Hawaii Island, and the East Bay area of California.

In Los Angeles, Climate Resolve has a resilience hub providing a variety of resources. USDN helped launch the program, which is located in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. It’s a safe and familiar place to gather, according to Bryn Moncelsi, deputy director at Climate Resolve.

Both groups try to resonate with people’s values and concerns. However, there are many challenges.

One difficulty is that some environmental terms have been politicized. With that in mind, Powell is flexible with her language, and the precise words she uses might vary for different communities.

Nevertheless, her overall goal remains the same. She hopes to convey her key beliefs, while developing trust and connection with her audience.

“Sometimes, the language might need to shift, so that people can hear what you’re saying,” Powell observed.

Many people are overwhelmed by climate-disaster news, Moncelsi noted. Climate Resolve is trying to instill people with hope and a sense of control.

“There are things they can do to prepare and protect themselves,” said Jonathan Parfrey, the group’s executive director.

One priority is keeping people safe during heat waves. Climate Resolve supports the use of cool surfaces for pavement, roofs and walls. They reflect more solar energy than conventional surfaces, making the surrounding area cooler.

Health Impacts

Medical providers are raising awareness of the health risks of climate change.

One program is Climate for Health, which partners with dozens of medical groups. Many resources are available, including climate action guides, videos and polling data.

Another is the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, which includes dozens of medical societies. The group educates people about health hazards arising from climate change. It also has criticized the Trump Administration’s environmental policies, including the firing of climate scientists. The consortium offers workshops on effective communication, and it has a new podcast called “Healthy Climate America.”

In California, pediatrician Hilary Stecklein Kobrin also is raising awareness. She tries to address people’s specific concerns and connect with their values.

According to Kobrin, people usually view her as a credible source because she’s a physician.

At the office, she often discusses the health risks of extreme heat. She explains that heat and pollution can worsen some medical conditions.

Kobrin also discusses environmental issues at lectures, conferences, and Zoom meetings. For her, chatting with small groups in person is the ideal setting for climate conversations.

However, she advises people not to wait for the “perfect” situation to bring up the topic.

“Any conversation is good,” she said.

Meteorologists Connect the Dots

In an era of widespread distrust in institutions, environmental messages often are dismissed or ridiculed. However, climate scientists are viewed as trusted messengers, according to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

One scientist highlighting the need for climate action is Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at Climate Central.

Many people are reluctant to discuss climate change, because they think others don’t care or because it’s been politicized, she said. It’s crucial to “normalize” these conversations, according to Woods Placky.

“If you want climate action, you’re in the majority,” she said. “You’re not the minority – but you might feel like you are.”

She cited a Yale survey, showing that only 10 percent of Americans dismissed the idea of global warming.

“That 10 percent has outsized voice and power,” she observed. “The other 90 percent of society is open to conversation, in varying degrees.”

According to Yale research, 72 percent of Americans say that global warming is occurring, and 71 percent state that global warming will harm future generations.

In addition, 76 percent support funding of renewable-energy research, and 74 percent favor regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant.

She also discusses the importance of attribution science – analyzing the role of climate change in extreme weather events.

This scientific field has been “a major confidence builder” for climate communicators, according to Woods Placky. In recent years, the field has been advancing rapidly.

Climate Central is a founder of World Weather Attribution (WWA), which conducts these studies. Now, scientists can report their findings quickly after a weather event – sometimes in a matter of days.

Some meteorologists and journalists report on the findings, helping the public understand real-world climate impacts.

Another expert, Chris Gloninger, is also discussing the need for climate solutions.

Now a senior climate scientist at the Woods Hole Group, he was a television meteorologist for many years. During that time, Gloninger delivered the weather forecast for very different regions – including Boston and Des Moines.

In Iowa, he faced harassment for his climate-change reporting, and he eventually left the job. Although it was a traumatic experience, he takes comfort from the many messages of support he also received.

In the big picture, climate leaders should highlight themes relevant to the audience.

“Emphasize what will most resonate with them,” he said.

During his time in Iowa, he discussed how wind energy has contributed to low energy costs. Another theme: using clean energy is fiscally responsible in an era of billion-dollar climate disasters.

With disinformation swirling, it’s crucial for trusted messengers to deliver the facts, he added. This can help people determine what’s real – and what isn’t.

Magic of Nature

Some communicators are trying to bring people together through a shared love of nature.

“It’s about us being connected to nature as people,” said Amelia Joy, spokesperson for Nature is Nonpartisan.

The organization, launched earlier this year, is trying to make the environment a nonpartisan issue. The nonprofit group encourages people from across the political spectrum to have respectful conversations.

Although there are some trolls, many productive discussions are happening on its social-media platforms, she noted.

The aim is to reach the vast majority of Americans, who are open to these discussions, according to Joy.

“It’s not all black and white,” she said. “There are gray areas where we can agree.”

The group also has a policy team, which helped draft a new federal directive on conservation.

There are also other efforts to unite people through the beauty of nature.

On the website of the iNaturalist, people can upload photos of nature. It’s a source of wonder and awe, with amazing images of plants and animals. The site also provides data for scientists who are conducting environmental research.

Communicating about the environment is a balancing act, said Arya Natarajan, spokesperson for the nonprofit group. She conveys both the urgency of addressing biodiversity loss, and also the joys and wonders of nature.

She tries to understand her audience, in order to meet them where they are. For instance, she might include technical jargon when talking to scientists. When speaking to people without scientific expertise, she might avoid that jargon.

The overall focus is on solutions.

“I’ve found in my own work that people really resonate with solutions-based messaging over doom-and-gloom,” Natarajan said.

Power of Parents

Many parents are very worried about climate change, and Moms Clean Air Force is trying to counter these feelings of despair.

The nonprofit group advocates for strong environmental protections. The mission is to protect children from air pollution and climate change.

Moms Clean Air Force has a strong community of 1.5 million parents, according to editorial consultant Alexandra Zissu. The group urges them to get involved in many ways, such as contacting elected officials and signing petitions.

“People really want to make a difference, and people really want to get involved,” she said.

Other resources are also available. Zissu writes a column called Mom Detective, in which she answers parents’ questions. She tries to make her columns easy-to-understand and “not too wonky.”

At a time when many people feel overwhelmed by bad news, she encourages people to make their voices heard. She hopes that her message can reach across the political divide.

“Protecting children’s health should be a nonpartisan issue,” she said.

Inspiring Youth

When trying to solve the climate crisis, it’s crucial to inspire the younger generations.

One group involved in that effort is the Sunrise Movement. The goal is ending the use of fossil fuels as soon as possible, while promoting green jobs and environmental justice. Its campaigns include Green New Deal for Communities and Electoral Organizing.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles entrepreneur Thomas Yount is raising awareness among students. Through his Climate Cooldown board game, they embark on an urgent mission to protect the Earth. He also developed curriculum to be used with the game.

Students learn about the planet, the climate crisis, and climate solutions. It’s a fun and social way to learn about the issues, said Yount, founder and CEO of Clean Earth Future.

The game is being used in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Torrance Unified School District, and many private and charter schools. It’s also being used in some colleges and universities, including USC and UCLA.

When discussing environmental issues, the message should resonate with shared values, he said. These include health, children and future generations.

Climate Themes in the Arts

Hollywood also is trying to inspire audiences to take climate action. During the 2025 annual conference of the Hollywood Climate Summit, artists discussed ways to depict environmental themes and to promote climate solutions.

One session, How to Show Movements on Screen, examined the need to connect with audiences on an emotional level.

Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., president and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus, described the toll of the climate crisis on marginalized communities. He urged Hollywood to depict them in a genuine way, with authentic stories.

One challenge in portraying the issue: it’s depressing to see the environmental movement losing so many political battles. With that in mind, it’s important to also show victories of the climate movement, said Aru Shiney-Ajay, executive director of the Sunrise Movement.

Another session was Displaced Within: Telling the Story of Climate Resilient Communities. The speakers discussed the struggles of people displaced by climate disasters, including the recent Los Angeles wildfires.

Indigenous leader Gabrielle Crowe described the practices of traditional cultures – striving to live in harmony with nature. She also discussed the importance of combining traditional knowledge with modern science.

“So we're looking at building things that are centered around community, things that are going to empower the community,” said Crowe, of the Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation of Southern California.

Hollywood also should portray climate activists who have some flaws, according to Saket Soni, executive director of Resilience Force. This could help people relate to them.

“It’s very hard to tell activist stories in a way that breaks through, because we love thinking about activists as do-gooders,” Soni said. “But activists are just as complicated as the most fascinating characters in literature or cinema.”

“And so I would say, please pick activists who are not perfect people, who are not saints, but who are just as conflicted and just as fascinating as any great fictional character.”

Songs are another way to resonate with people. People connect with music on a personal and emotional level –giving musicians a special way to reach audiences. During the session How Music Mobilizes, artists explored this theme.

Antonique Smith, an actress and singer, said her goal is protecting health, existence and future generations.

“I’ve been in this movement using my music, using my voice, my singing to help inspire people,” said Smith, co-founder and CEO of Climate Revival.

Another speaker, musician Tim Myers, has entered the political arena. He’s running as a Democratic candidate for a California House seat.

A former member of the band OneRepublic, Myers is using his high profile to advance environmental goals. One of his priorities: building solar panels on some unused land in the state.

There’s growing momentum for artists to “use their platform in more of a political way and get out there and be more engaged,” Myers said.