Impact of messaging on climate values alignment

Climate Communication Reimagined: Appealing Across Moral Foundations Recently, while working on energy transition scenarios for the Netherlands’ decarbonization by 2050 with TenneT, Jonathan Haidt’s insights from The Righteous Mind came sharply into focus. Full article: https://lnkd.in/gKQ4HfaQ Haidt research highlights six moral foundations — Care, Fairness, Loyalty, Authority, Sanctity, and Liberty — and argues that conservatives broadly use all six, while progressives strongly emphasize Care and Fairness. This explains why traditional climate messaging, dominated by progressive framing around harm prevention and fairness, struggles to resonate with broader audiences, especially conservatives. Effective climate advocacy requires blending messages to activate moral intuitions across this entire spectrum. For example, on clean energy jobs, progressives emphasize economic fairness, while conservatives focus on national strength and independence. A blended message: “Let’s revitalize America with clean energy, creating good jobs for all to keep our nation strong and independent.” On pollution, progressives speak to health impacts, conservatives to purity and national pride. Combining these, we get: “Cutting pollution protects our children's health and maintains America’s beautiful landscapes and clean air.” Framing climate change as a shared national challenge connects progressive concerns about global justice with conservative values around national security and heritage protection: “Protect our homeland from climate threats, safeguarding communities and the American way of life we cherish.” Even innovation and tradition can align: “Clean energy innovation continues America’s proud history of leadership, preserving the land and values we cherish for future generations.” In the Netherlands, debates around overhead transmission expansion benefit from similar messaging. Instead of purely technical arguments, framing transmission infrastructure as essential to national pride, heritage preservation, and economic vitality can resonate widely: “New transmission lines represent Dutch innovation, safeguarding our landscapes, health, and economy for generations.” I encountered this effective moral framing earlier while co-authoring Canada’s municipal guide for planned retreat amid climate risks. Communities rallied behind retreat initiatives when messaging emphasized collective good and community identity. European research, especially around Brexit, reinforces that messaging inclusive of national identity, sovereignty, and cultural integrity resonates more deeply than approaches limited to individual-focused morality. Ultimately, climate advocacy must leverage the full range of moral foundations to bridge divides and build broader consensus. Haidt’s framework is not only insightful, it’s essential for effective communication on climate and energy transitions.

Silence on sustainability is not strategy Clarity, not caution, drives impact 🌎 Great read today in Harvard Business Review exploring how companies can strengthen their sustainability communications in response to rising political pressure and evolving stakeholder expectations. Rather than retreating or reducing visibility, the authors make a strong case for rethinking communication as a strategic tool to build trust, enhance relevance, and unlock the full value of sustainability efforts. While some organizations are choosing silence to avoid scrutiny (from political backlash to accusations of greenwashing) this approach can undermine credibility. Public concern about climate inaction remains high, and companies that choose not to speak risk appearing disengaged. At the same time, sustainability strategies are increasingly linked to tangible business outcomes, from cost savings and resource efficiency to supply chain resilience and long-term risk management. To respond effectively, companies must begin by understanding what matters to their audiences. This means moving beyond general assumptions and using employee and customer insights to shape communication that is specific, relevant, and grounded in lived experience. Boston Children’s Hospital offers a clear example of how stakeholder input can guide both communications and operational decisions in ways that enhance internal alignment and external resonance. Equally important is the way messages are delivered. While factual accuracy is critical, the most effective communications also connect emotionally, using storytelling to make abstract issues relatable. The article emphasizes the power of framing climate action in terms of widely held values (such as protecting future generations or ensuring business continuity) to reach broader audiences and avoid polarizing debates. Companies also need to move beyond the conventional sustainability report. While compliance remains necessary, relying solely on annual disclosures can limit impact. Organizations like Tillamook and Boston Medical Center are showing how digital formats and multi-channel content can make complex information more accessible, and how continuous storytelling can keep sustainability top of mind across stakeholder groups. By grounding their messages in real insights, using language that resonates across audiences, and choosing formats that encourage dialogue and connection, companies can position themselves as credible leaders in a space where expectations are only becoming more complex. #sustainability #sustainable #esg #business #greenwashing #greenhushing

Lately I’ve been obsessed with this question: Why do some climate messages move people—and others don’t? In a new episode of Bloomberg Television's new show Quantum Marketing by Raja Rajamannar, Pranav Yadav (CEO of Neuro-Insight) breaks down how the brain actually responds to storytelling—and how that applies to climate advocacy. Around the 17-minute mark, he analyzes a well-produced climate ad and explains, through neuromarketing data, why it doesn’t stick. The key insight? Psychological distance. The ad talks about climate change, but not in a way that connects to people's personal context—what they care about in their day-to-day lives. And when something feels distant—geographically, emotionally, or temporally—the brain tunes it out. It fails to encode in memory, which means it doesn’t influence behavior. What does work? Stories that activate memory encoding by making the stakes immediate and relatable. That connect to identity, not just intellect. That meet people where they are—then move them. This kind of research lights me up. It’s why I believe we’re at an inflection point in climate storytelling. At TIME, we’re working to reframe climate not just as an environmental issue, but as an economic one. A human one. A business one. If you're doing research in this space—neuroscience, behavioral design, storytelling strategy—or want to help us build a better framework for climate narratives, let’s talk. We need to scale these insights and we have the tools to do it. Watch the whole video but especially the last bit after 17 min if you're thinking about how to communicate urgency, value, and impact in this moment. 🎥 https://lnkd.in/et_uK4c6 #climatecommunications #neuromarketing #behaviorchange #storytelling #TIME #climateaction #businesscaseforclimate

We all participate in doom-scrolling and see climate headlines that leave us feeling helpless daily. So it’s no surprise that climate messaging that is purely data-based often fails to drive action. Here’s why: 1. Our brains are wired for stories, not statistics Climate data alone activates the analytical part of our brain, but decisions are driven by our emotions. For example: ❌ "1.5°C of warming" may not evoke much. ✅"Children born today will never experience a normal snow season in their hometown" instantly creates an emotional connection. 2. We’re overwhelming people with problems, not empowering them with solutions ❌ "Arctic ice is melting at unprecedented rates" creates anxiety. ✅ "Cities are creating urban forests to cool neighborhoods and absorb carbon—here’s how yours can too" sparks hope and action. 3. We’re missing the power of social proof Humans act based on what others do. Case in point: When a Sacramento neighborhood showed residents their energy usage compared to neighbors, consumption dropped 2% more than when they only saw environmental impact data. The most powerful climate messages don’t just inform—they inspire. What are some examples of great research that hasn’t been able to translate into effective climate messaging? Share both good and bad examples of climate messaging in the comments ⬇️ #ClimateCommunication #Sustainability #CorporateResponsibility #ClimateAction

WE NEED TO DELIVER THE MESSAGE DIFFERENTLY Recently, 15,000 climate scientists once again sounded the alarm about the climate crisis. 'The world is facing a critical and unpredictable new phase in the climate crisis and the consequences will be incalculable. Only through decisive action can we inherit future generations the livable world they deserve.' This alarming message had little impact in the media, it was picked up by some newspapers, but was not the talk of the day in talk shows and on social media. After that, people went back to business as usual. I also notice it in myself, when I read a report like this it hits dead on, it no longer really enters. This is because climate scientists have been coming up with the same message for many years: the climate is not doing well, we are not doing what we should and we are heading for a potential disaster. The tone is becoming more insistent but the song remains the same. The impact of this kind of doom-and-gloom message is virtually zero, it does not prompt people to take more action, if only it were true. This is why I could agree with Mare de Wit's opinion piece, which argues that science still has a lot to learn about how best to convey a substantive message. Numerous studies show that people only really take action when they are touched by emotion and feeling. There is a difference between knowing and understanding, and between knowing and understanding is feeling. One physical experience of climate change, such as at the North Pole, has more impact than any climate report. Only when you actually feel the urgency do you start acting on it. It is not knowing and knowing that form the basis for real change, but hope and desire. Hope is a focus of the heart and soul and desire is a feeling that comes from your heart, driven by inspiration. Hope makes one long for change and hope makes it possible to discern between good and bad changes. So we need to free ourselves from hopelessness, says professor of theology Erik Borgman. So we can do two things differently: (i) deliver the message differently and (ii) offer people hope and desire. Bringing the message differently does mean indicating the urgency from a factual basis, but also indicating what has already been achieved and what are positive climate trends. And as for hope and desire, indicate what people themselves can do, that behavioural change alone can lead to 40-70% less CO2 emissions, and show how this is already happening. Content remains crucial, but form is also important. In doing so, seek cooperation with social psychologists, communication scientists, and influencers so that the message also resonates emotionally. In doing so, also use modern communication channels like TikTok and interactive platforms that citizens use. This increases the chances that the message does come across. https://lnkd.in/d4WNdMjh

Value delivery in green consumption: the effect of advertisement value proposition on consumer perception and purchase intention” https://lnkd.in/e59XW3Sw One-Minute Summary : Green Ads & Consumer Behavior Businesses are using green advertising to promote eco-friendly products—but how they frame these messages really matters. What This Study Did Researchers surveyed 589 people to explore how different ad framing affects consumer perceptions and buying decisions. Key Finding: Timing Is Everything Ads focused on the past (e.g., sustainable production) boost environmental value perception. Ads focused on the future (e.g., consumer use and impact) enhance emotional value perception. Believability Drives Action The more credible the ad appears—think certifications and honest claims—the more likely people are to buy green products. Why It Matters To make green marketing work, companies must align what they promise with how consumers perceive value—emotionally and environmentally. Bottom Line Frame your green message right. Use credible, well-timed storytelling to connect with eco-conscious buyers and inspire action. Interesting point: “High-quality propositions, whether in the form of persuasive evidence or storytelling communications, enhance consumers' understanding of product value, simultaneously mitigating their risk aversion and skepticism, thereby bolstering their confidence in purchase decision-making (Gasparin et al., 2022; Hamzahet al., 2022).” #sustainability #valuedelivery #framing #requirements

Helpful information from the latest climate change communications research from Yale, testing climate messaging in 23 countries. Message frame that had the most positive impact was protecting children and future generations. This framing has been consistent in eliciting the most positive engagement on the climate change topic in other recent climate comms studies I've seen. Polluter accountability and climate progress (ie improving our future world) also had generally positive influence with little backlash.   For those of us in finance and economics, we tend to lead with the climate progress frame, but protecting future generations should be given serious consideration as this not only has global appeal, but also likely resonates well with policy makers. #climatecommunications   https://lnkd.in/erSE_sv5