As climate communicators, we strive to go beyond just educating the public about climate issues—we want to inspire action. Oftentimes, our audience already accepts the science behind climate change. Instead, the major issue we face is empowering those who recognize climate change as an issue to take action.
I know about this issue first hand—I used to be an apathetic global citizen when it came to climate change. Growing up in the South, a lot of what I learned about the environment did not encourage me to take action. It wasn’t until I was in college that I learned that I could make a difference, which empowered me to want to take action.
But why are so many people who see climate change as an issue not compelled to act, and how do we encourage people to put in the work to make a difference?
Why don’t people care more?
Apathy is one of the biggest hurdles to establishing consistent and effective climate action, and communication is our best strategy for jumping this hurdle. Apathy is the idea of being indifferent and unconcerned about a topic.
Apathy is exemplified in public opinion poll statistics. When polled, most European countries had over 90% of respondents say that the climate is ‘probably or definitely changing’, yet only about 30% of respondents would be in favor of raising taxes on fossil fuels. In order to encourage people to take action, we need to understand why they currently are not.
Because of this, even when people understand and accept the science behind climate change, they may still have the feeling that the problems caused by climate change will not impact them in any way. While our optimistic nature is an advantage for humans, when it comes to climate action, feeling unaffected can lead to detachment from the issue of climate change.
Detachment creates a loss of momentum within the activist community. Scary statistics promising a dark future may not necessarily spark action in individuals because the consequences of doing nothing feel very far away and too broad to affect them. Recent research shows trying to promote climate action by provoking emotions such as fear and anger with information such as startling facts and gloomy outlooks for the future bolster limited support for climate activism.
Scary statistics promising a dark future may not necessarily spark action in individuals because the consequences of doing nothing feel very far away and too broad to affect them.
Daniel Gilbert, psychology professor at Harvard, put it simply at Harvard Thinks Big 2010: “Our brain is essentially a get-out-of-the-way machine.” In other words, our minds are designed to process instant threats, like survival and avoiding injury. It is often hard for us to understand the danger of something that seems so far off.
One case study takes an interesting dive into why people don’t care more about taking climate action. Those interviewed cite many reasons for why they feel apathetic toward climate change, including religion, politics, feeling powerless, and overall disengagement with the climate movement.
One specific case that stood out was Rachel. Her focus is her family and her community. She is a “consummate risk avoider,” but yet she has no worries regarding the environment and its effect on her. Overall, she doesn’t like to think about global issues, it is overwhelming to her, and frankly scary.
Rachel is not alone with her mentality surrounding climate change. Trying to deal with and break down the complex issues behind climate change is not an easy task, especially not for an individual. Knowledge about climate change is only half the battle—we have to work to inspire action. We have to approach climate apathy differently than we approach other forms of climate communication.
Convincing people to want to work for change
So, how do we turn apathetics into activists? Through examining the most effective ways to convey information, we can better bolster support for the climate movement.
Climate information needs to make an impact.There are many other ways we can convey information to create momentum and also inspire action, ways that don’t monger fear or paint a doom-and-gloom picture.
There are many other ways we can convey information to create momentum and also inspire action, ways that don’t monger fear or paint a doom-and-gloom picture.
Communication can come in a variety of different forms. For example, a program in Wales used poems, plays, and photographs as a form of climate communication, with success in promoting conversation within communities and motivating people to take steps they should take in caring for our environment.
Dr. Andrew Thaler, a deep-sea and conservation technologist, says when he talks about climate change, instead of talking science, he talks in stories. He talks about fishing, faith, farming, and anything that he can use to personally connect to the people he is speaking to.
Making personal connections to climate change can make climate communication more effective and impactful, making people feel intimately related to the environment. It is important for communicators to connect with their audience in ways that make them want to take action.
How can climate media and communications turn apathy into action?
Understanding climate apathy is important for media and communications because it helps us know why people are not motivated to take action, and more importantly, what tools we can use in order to make people want to make a difference.
Our jobs as climate communicators extend beyond just informing the public; we pass on our passions for the environment through the blogs we write, graphics we create, and the words we speak.
Instead of trying to scare the public into action with terrifying statistics, try a more subtle approach. Explain how climate change will and already is affecting them personally.
After you establish this personal connection between an individual and the environment, give them hope. It is important that we make sure to let people know that there are ways to make an impact and that we can turn our current situation around.
Everyone has the ability to make a difference, some people just need a little encouragement. Through climate media and communications, we have the power to empower, and we have to take this role seriously.
