Why better climate communication matters and how ADEPT is supporting local authorities
Nigel Riglar, Chair of the ADEPT Climate Change Board and Executive Director for Place, South Gloucestershire Council highlights the importance of the new guide developed by ADEPT and Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission to help local authority climate communicators.
Local authorities are responsible for so many of the services and systems that shape the environmental health and performance of our places. From planning, development and transport networks to overseeing waste and recycling services. For decades they have been on the frontline of nature preservation, recovery and climate resilience.
Across the country, local authorities and their partners are making significant progress in sharing vital knowledge about environmental wellbeing and climate resilience.
We are seeing investment in cleaner transport, improvements in the energy efficiency of homes and public buildings, greater protection for natural habitats and stronger local responses to flooding and extreme weather. But alongside this practical work there is another challenge that local authority teams face every day. Communicating about climate change and nature in ways that resonate with people’s everyday lives and can be readily understood by a range of audiences, including residents, Councillors, businesses and other stakeholders.
For many residents climate change can feel like a distant or complex issue. The language often used in policy discussions can present as technical jargon and the scale of the problem can sometimes feel overwhelming. Yet research consistently shows that people do care about the environment and about the future of their communities. The challenge for communicators is to bridge that gap.
This is why ADEPT has worked with Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission to produce a new guide called An Introduction to Talking Climate.
Understanding the guide
The guide is intended as a practical resource for public sector communicators particularly those working in local authorities. It offers clear and evidence-based advice on how to frame climate and nature messages so that they connect with people’s everyday experiences.
It reflects learned experience from working at a place level with residents, businesses and community groups and draws on research from a range of sources including Climate Outreach’s Britain Talks Climate and Nature programme. These explored how people across the United Kingdom think and feel about climate and nature issues and so speak to how the public engage with these concerns.
One of the key insights from this research is that the way we talk about climate change can make a significant difference to how people respond. Terms that are widely used in professional discussions such as decarbonisation or mitigation are not always easily understood by the public. Even phrases like net zero can feel abstract if they are not explained in practical terms.
The guide encourages communicators to translate these ideas into language that people can relate to. Instead of focusing solely on technical targets communications can highlight the everyday benefits that climate action brings. These benefits include cleaner air, warmer homes that are cheaper to heat, improved public transport, healthier communities and the protection of the natural places that people value.
Connecting climate and nature
Another important theme is the connection between climate and nature.
People often feel a strong attachment to local landscapes and wildlife. Explaining how climate change affects the natural environment and how restoring nature can help address climate impacts is a powerful way of making these issues more tangible.
The guide also emphasises the importance of local context. Global discussions about climate change are important but the most meaningful examples are often local. Residents can see new tree planting in their parks, electric buses on their streets or improvements to walking and cycling routes. These visible changes help to demonstrate that climate action is already under way and delivering real benefits. Importantly the guide has been designed as a practical reference tool rather than a detailed academic report.
Local authority communications teams are often working under significant pressure with limited time and resources. The aim is to provide clear principles and quick guidance that can be used when preparing communications, developing campaigns or engaging with stakeholders. The guide also includes a quick reference section which suggests alternative ways of talking about common climate terms in more accessible language.
This new resource is part of the wider work that ADEPT does to support local authorities in responding to climate change. You can find out more via the ADEPT Climate Change Hub.
Through the ADEPT Climate Change Board we work with members and partners to share practical guidance, toolkits and examples of good practice. These resources cover a range of topics including climate adaptation, nature recovery and the transition to low carbon transport and infrastructure.
Collaboration is an important part of this work. ADEPT’s partnership with Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission reflects a shared commitment to supporting local authorities and other public sector organisations. By bringing together expertise from different networks we can produce guidance that is grounded in real experience and informed by the latest research.
Ultimately, climate action is about improving the places where people live and local government has a unique role in delivering that change. However, they also have a part to play in explaining what it means and why it matters. If we can communicate clearly about the benefits of climate action and the progress already being made, we can help communities feel part of the journey.
An Introduction to Talking Climate is intended to support that conversation, and as the work around climate resilience evolves, we will continue working with partners to share knowledge, develop practical guidance and support our members in the vital work that they do.
Further information
Author
Nigel Riglar is Chair of the ADEPT Climate Change Board and Executive Director for Place, South Gloucestershire Council
