Climate Change Communications

Climate Change: Communicating for Behaviour Shift

Introductions

Phil Newcombe – Marches Energy Agency

Nancy Davies - Marches Energy Agency

Structure of the day

Overview and introduction to audiences

Activity – understanding your audience

Activity – mapping the journey

Presentation – communications

Activity – creating your message

Social Marketing

‘ the systematic application of marketing, alongside other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioural goals, for a social good.’

(French, Blair-Stevens 2006)

The Strategy 1. Understanding the audience 2. Mapping the journey to change 3. Making a clear message 4. Choosing your media 5. Creating lasting changes

Step 1 – Identifying and understanding the audience

Who are your ‘audience’.

Who are your ‘audience’.

What are their current attitudes to Climate Change.

Defra’s ‘Market’ Segmentation 7. Honestly disengaged 6. Stalled starters 5. Cautious participants 4. Sideline supporters 3. Concerned Consumers 2. Waste Watchers 1. Positive Greens

1. Positive Greens I think we need to do some things differently to tackle climate change. I do what I can and feel bad about the rest

2. Waste Watchers Waste not want not, that’s what’s important. You should live life thinking about what you’re doing and using.

3. Concerned consumers I think I do more than a lot of people. Still, going away is important, I’d find that hard to give up.. Well I wouldn’t, so carbon offsetting would make me feel better.

4. Sideline Supporters I think climate change is a big problem for us. I suppose I don’t think much about how much water or electricity I use and I forget to turn things off.. I’d like to do a bit more.

5. Cautious participants I do a couple of things to help the environment. I’d really like to do more… well as long as I saw others were

6. Stalled starters I don’t know much about climate change. I can’t afford a car so I use public transport. I’d like a car though.

7. Honestly disengaged Maybe there’ll be an environmental disaster, maybe not. Makes no difference to me, I’m just living my life the way I want to.

Who are your ‘audience’?

What are their current attitudes to Climate Change?

What is their current behavioural position?

What may be barriers and motivators to behaviour change?

Step 2 – Mapping the journey to change

Choose your actions

Defra’s Headline Actions Be more responsible about how much water is used Water actions Create less waste Recycle more Waste actions eat a ‘lower impact diet’ Eat more food that is locally in season Buy products that are energy smart not energy guzzling Eco product actions Avoid unnecessary flights (short haul) Use the car less for short trips When upgrading your car, choose more fuel efficient one Personal transport actions Install small-scale renewable energy technologies Be clever about managing energy use Insulate your home Home energy actions

Choose your actions

Match actions to audience/frame actions according to audience

Choosing actions according to audience Positive greens Cautious participants Stalled starters Renewable energy Low energy lighting Free loft insulation

Framing actions for audience: renewable energy

Group Example behaviour Example of how to frame action

Positive greens Cautious participants Stalled starters Support home renewables, plan to get some Don’t know, don’t care, don’t have the money for it Know about renewables, don’t see point Put in touch with grants and support for renewables; recruit to help promote benefits Promote benefits of renewables, give examples of renewables being used, inform about grants and support Give examples of renewables being used; perhaps more productive to promote more affordable/easy actions

Choose your actions

Match actions to audience/frame actions according to audience

Overcome barriers and promote benefits

Step 1 Activity

What are the key behavioural and attitudinal opportunities, issues and implications to consider when seeking to engage these groups?

What are the most likely possible motivators and barriers for your audience?

Step 2 Activity

What are the key considerations for the adoption of your areas of action?

How could actions be best framed to make them acceptable to your audience?

Which actions would be most likely to succeed with which group?

How may barriers be minimised and motivators be built upon?

The Strategy 1. Understanding the audience 2. Mapping the journey to change 3. Making a clear message 4. Choosing your media 5. Creating lasting changes

Step 3 - Making a clear message

Use pictures and imagery

Use a positive tone

Promote the benefits and avoid stories of impending doom

Use a positive tone

Speak the right language

Make sure that you use clear, direct requests Draw people in by talking directly to them, using ‘you’ or ‘we’ – ‘ you’re being invited to…’ or ‘ we’ve got this great opportunity to…’ Remember to talk to people as part of their group rather than as individuals Speak to people on an equal level rather than talking down to them As a general rule, try to keep language light and fun Technical jargon works for some, but can be a real turn off for others

Step 4 – What’s your media?