Climate Change Is Not An Inside Joke
Why messaging strategies around sustainability efforts have already failed and what to do about it.
PSA to anybody preparing a speech for their best friend’s wedding: No matter how funny you think that inside joke is between you and the bride, the other wedding guests aren’t going to get it. Seriously, don’t include it in your speech. (Especially if it’s before the open bar and people aren’t feeling generous with their laughter yet.) The silence is going to be awkward and, um, silent.
And what does this scenario have to do with sustainability messaging? More than you’d think.
Let me put it this way…
Climate change is the bride and you’re the friend who knows her best. You’re studying your topic day to day. You know the science behind it and you’re informed on relevant legislation and related media trends. You’re the person people should be listening to. But your messaging assumes the audience knows your topic like you know your topic. You’re telling the inside joke at the wedding, and most of the guests don’t get it.
You skip past the fundamentals of your specialty because you assume your readers already know it. Your frustration with industry leads to a tone of sarcasm and you write the perfect “Article of Ire” that only a handful of audience members can fully follow. The urgency in your call to action creates such existential dread that the audience would rather check out than join in.
Put another way, don’t assume your audience knows what you’re talking about.
Most of us (even those of us studying sustainability on a daily basis) feel equally as overwhelmed by the climate crisis as we do by the scope of theories of change and various sustainability initiatives being implemented (or not) in governments and industries. It’s just too much to take in all at once.
This is why climate change messaging has already failed. The vibe is outrage rather than information. It’s a far-away enemy rather than tangible, practical solutions. The topic is scary, emotional, and sometimes seemingly insurmountable. That’s why scary and emotional messaging isn’t going to work.
The most effective way to talk about sustainability is with easily consumable, bite-size potions of information and achievable, practical solutions.
Focus on the attainable sustainable solutions your company can offer and don’t be afraid to explain these solutions in basic terms. Your audience will be relieved to know exactly what you’re talking about and what their options are.
Assume people want to learn more.
If your specialty is offshore wind energy, assume going after politicians who don’t support wind energy isn’t the most efficient use of your resources, but rather use your platform to inform your audience that the timeline involved in bidding, building, and ultimately operating an offshore wind farm is longer than most political terms in the US and Europe and offshore wind energy can’t be killed overnight. Not only is this a more effective use of your resources, but people will want to come back to you (or your organization) for more information in the future.
If your development company is leading in biodiversity net gain practices, you’re better off focusing on case studies of how your construction projects have improved the biodiversity of a site through careful design rather than wasting your energy with a media blame-game of why biodiversity net gain legislation keeps getting held up. I could make an argument for why you don’t need to wait for regulation to demand what the market will demand anyway through higher property valuations. But regardless, you’ll be gearing your company messaging towards highlighting your successes rather than chasing down irresponsible public policy. Not only does this give you a positive message your audience can grasp, but it will position you to be a commercial leader in your field. I’d call that a win/win.
Skip the panic headline. Empower your audience with data and information. If people disagree with you, respond with more data and more information. Rinse and repeat.
Climate change feels huge, confusing, and messy. So sustainability messaging has to be incremental, understandable, and organized.
You have to assume nobody knows your specialty like you do. Explain the challenge and simplify the solution. Tailor your messaging to bring people in. Because when it comes to sustainable messaging (and wedding speeches) you should never assume people already know what you know.
