Inspiring climate action with positive stories
Campaigns by environmental and conservation charities play a crucial role in raising awareness, funds, and the understanding needed to combat the climate crisis. However, many of these campaigns tend to focus on fear, anger, and anxiety to motivate their audience to take action. At Catsnake, we've seen first hand how activating these emotions with negatively-framed narratives can deliver engagement, but at what cost?
Climate anxiety is a real and growing phenomenon, with the Office of National Statistics reporting that around three in four UK adults say they’re worried about climate change. Could this pervasive sense of doom and gloom be contributing to a collective paralysis rather than spurring people into action?
Why all the negativity?
Our brains are wired to focus on threats, which is why negative messaging in climate campaigns is often so effective. Bad news captures our attention and prompts immediate reactions. You only need to open a news app to see this "negativity bias" in action. As they say, “if it bleeds, it leads”, and in this attention economy, negative stories and inflammatory headlines generate the most profit.
And boy are there a lot of negative stories to be told about the state of our planet: stories of pollution, rising temperatures, natural disasters, and habitat destruction are becoming increasingly common in our newsfeeds. But seeing all this bad news — all the time — can foster negative thinking, and lead people to disengage. So when a climate action campaign pops up on our social media feeds, with similar disheartening facts, and taglines as negative as the headlines, I wouldn’t blame anyone for scrolling past.
Add to this how many of us feel like there’s not much we can do as an individual to combat climate change, and these fear-based campaigns could just be fuelling climate anxiety and ‘doomerism’, instead of driving action. In a brilliant article by Desmond Kirwan in the Behavioural Scientist, he points out that “how we’re discussing climate change is burning people out as fast as we are burning fossil fuels”. So maybe a change is needed in how we talk about the climate crisis.
The case for optimism
Telling more positively-framed stories about the climate crisis is essential for inspiring and sustaining engagement, and making us feel like we can make a difference. Some studies indicate that positive messaging, focusing on future optimism, tends to outperform negative messaging in increasing engagement and pro-environmental behaviours. By highlighting solutions and collective action, we can foster a sense of empowerment and community, which is crucial for long-term commitment to climate action.
In an article for Positive News, Rob Hopkins aptly said, ”We can only be as imaginative as the things that are in the stories we have heard, or the places we have gone, or the experiences we have had.” Positive stories expand our imagination of what is possible, showing us that change is achievable and that our efforts matter. Stories of successful community projects, innovative technologies, and policy victories provide concrete examples of progress and inspire others to contribute.
Here are some examples of organisations who have chosen more optimistic messaging about addressing the climate crisis.
Imagine for 1 Minute by Conservation International
In this short film, viewers are asked to imagine a better future, and to play a part in making it a reality. The montage of images highlight our similarities and our connection to one another, our planet and the animals who also call it home. The film reminds us that in crisis there is also the opportunity to change things, aiming to foster optimism and a feeling of shared responsibility in the viewer.
Youth for Climate Action - UN Climate Change:Learn
In this video, young activists Reuben Sapetulu and Yande Banda from Zambia speak passionately about the urgent need for climate action. They highlight the need for a change in mindset about climate change, the importance of educating and empowering youth, and call for decisive government action globally to tackle the climate crisis. By highlighting innovative solutions and the power of unified action, they encourage everyone to be part of the change.
What if? - Ikea
Despite being a corporate ad, this cinematic and uplifting film encourages viewers to question the status quo, and to envision and work towards a more sustainable future. It asks us to rethink how we consume, imagine innovative sustainable solutions, and change up our lifestyles. It highlights how there is so much more to be done, and how together we can all play a part in making things better for people and the planet.
Is there such a thing as too much hope?
With the motivational music, and a ‘we’re all in this together’ message, all these examples are uplifting, but will they inspire action? Will the viewer instead sit back, relax and think, ‘cool, someone else will fix it’. When people feel content, they are unlikely to spring into action, it’s not thought to be an activating emotion. As Greta Thunberg famously said, "I don’t want you to be hopeful, I want you to panic…I want you to act as if the house was on fire. Because it is." Hope is simply not enough, we need to promote action. These examples would benefit from a more clear and direct instruction to act.
In trying to present this issue in a more optimistic light, we also run the risk of sidestepping the uncomfortable truths, and promoting a ‘rose-tinted’ view on sustainability and the climate crisis, which could easily slip into greenwashing. Instead, we need to strike a balance between the unvarnished facts and messaging that instils hope in our ability to build a better future, cultivating ‘informed optimism’ through our campaigns.
What stories should we be telling?
According to strategic communicator and friend of Catsnake Nicky Hawkins, ”we need a steady stream of stories that bring to life our capacity to dream big and get things done…We need stories that show real life – and real life as it could be”. Through climate campaigning, we need to share stories of real change from around the world, and from a range of voices. Tell the stories of individuals who innovate and create climate-friendly solutions to everyday problems in their communities. Tell the stories of civilians who put pressure on their governments to act. Tell the stories of partnerships and coalitions, of charities and governments working together, and the real steps they’re taking to address climate change.
But, in telling these kinds of stories, the aim should be to build momentum, highlight signs of progress, and inspire people to get involved, “not necessarily to congratulate ourselves about how well we’ve done”. Campaigns should also be clear on how people can get involved in these projects, whether that’s by donating to the cause, volunteering their time, signing petitions, or starting a local action group themselves.
Conclusion
This isn’t to say that negative messaging doesn’t have a place in environmental campaigning, but there needs to be more of a balance. When told in the right way, with a clear call to action, perhaps positive and hopeful narratives can be just as effective, if not more so, in mobilising people to take action. By shifting the focus from the catastrophic to the constructive, we can potentially inspire individuals to engage with climate action, learn more and speak more about environmental issues.
So let’s harness the power of positive stories to drive the change we need.
Do you have any great examples of hopeful campaigns?
If so we’d love to hear them! Send them over to us at hello@catsnake.com or get in touch here.
Other sources:
Dasandi, N., Graham, H., Hudson, D., Jankin, S., van Heerde-Hudson, J. and Watts, N. (2022). Positive, global, and health or environment framing bolsters public support for climate policies. Communications earth & environment, 3, 239.
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (2021). Net Zero: principles for successful behaviour change initiatives.
Maskell, J. (2022). To scare or not to scare? Is a message of fear more effective than a message of hope? Scientists for Global Responsibility.
Schueman, L.J. (2023). Eco Anxiety into Eco Optimism Inspiring Action & Holding Leaders Accountable. One Earth.