Issue: Climate Policy

In this interactive 201 training, participants will explore how different audiences interpret policy, climate, and organizing language based on their experiences, values, identities, and relationship to advocacy work.

Up your impact this session and learn advanced techniques for educating policymakers, drawn from a comprehensive review of research.

Maximize impact this legislative session with the Lab’s training on the most effective evidence-based ways to influence legislators and other policy makers

Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) and the Climate Advocacy Lab fielded a statewide survey of Vermonters about attitudes towards their state’s Climate Superfund Act. We found that a majority of respondents agreed with the intention behind the law of holding fossil fuel companies financially accountable for climate damages incurred by the state. However, none of the messaging approaches we attempted seem very effective in increasing support for the policy. Qualitative responses suggest that the Act is not well-known and, while respondents favor corporate accountability, they also have concerns about the policy’s legality and government transparency. Notably, even among some of those who responded that they agree with the Climate Superfund, there was confusion about how fossil fuel companies contribute to climate-related impacts like flooding, suggesting the need for greater popular education around the chain of attribution. Distrust of government also surfaced as a concern about the Act.