Research + Experimentation 8

Climate Advocacy Lab’s 8^th Research + Experimentation Convening

Our first time taking R+E online and our first time streaming it to the entire Lab community!

If you're unfamiliar with R+Es, we convene them to...

• Share what we as a community are learning (public opinion research, all types of messaging tests, randomized controlled experiments, case studies, etc.)
• Dig into how research might help answer some of the big questions facing our movement
• Continue to deepen relationships and trust, especially as we seek to make the space more inclusive
• Grow this community of practice together around values of discovery, collaboration, justice, and joyfulness

In other words, register to learn how we can engage the public on climate change more effectively, more efficiently, at scale, and through deeper relationships with movement partners and future collaborators. So join us for two days of learning, conversations, and community-building that will recharge your spirits and inspire you to up your climate engagement game!
 

Final Agenda

All times in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4:00)

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

10:30am-11:00am: Welcome, Introductions, Expectations, Day 1 plan

11:00am-12:00pm: Panel 1 – The state of the movement in a time of pandemic

• Elizabeth Zack, Movement Cooperative. "Contact Rates During COVID-19"
• Danielle Travers, Potential Energy. "Climate in the age of pandemic: using qualitative research to get to the heart of the matter"
• Justin Rolfe-Redding, Climate Advocacy Lab. "COVID-19 Message Testing"

12:00pm-1:00pm: Panel 2 – Polling insights on climate change and the political landscape

• Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College. "Trends in American Views on Climate Change"
• Abel Gustafson, Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. "Republicans and Democrats Both Support Renewable Energy, but Differ in Their Main Reasons Why"
• Julian Brave NoiseCat, Data For Progress. "Green Bailouts"

1:00pm -1:30pm: BREAK

1:30pm-2:30pm: Panel 3 – Advancing the fight for climate justice

• Jacqueline Patterson, NAACP. "Unleashing the Power of the People: How Community-Led Actions Anchor Climate Justice Victories"
• Melody Zhang, Sojourners. "Activating young people of faith for climate justice"
• Cecilia Martinez, Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy. "Finding Common Ground toward Climate Justice: The Equitable & Just National Climate Platform and Forum"

2:30pm-3:30pm: Panel 4 – Engaging youth activists

• Dana R. Fisher, University of Maryland. "How the Youth Climate Movement Is Changing"
• Brittany Bennett, Sunrise Movement. "Recruiting leaders into the movement through experimentation"
• Josh Walker, Alliance for Climate Education. "The Power of Social Norms Messaging"

3:30pm-4:00pm: BREAK

4:00pm-5:00pm: Panel 5 – Electoral strategy and voter outreach

• Laura Greenfield, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth. "Every vote you make: tracking state legislators with an eye towards elections"
• Samantha Sekar, Analyst Institute. "Civic Innovation Works SMS VBM Enrollment Test"
• Erin McLean-Purdon, Future Majority. "The hard pivot: leaning into the lean startup model for social change"

5:00pm-6:00pm: Panel 6 – Digital engagement and tactics

• Amar Puri, Spake Media. "Social Media Message Testing" (with Nathanael Baker)
• Seth Wynes, University of British Columbia. "Can citizen pressure influence politicians’ communication about climate change?" (with John Kotcher)
• Karen Florini, Climate Central. "Making It Local, Making It Real"

6:00pm-6:30pm: Closing, Day 2 preview

8:00pm- : Virtual happy hour!

 

Thursday, May 7, 2020

10:30am-11:00am: Welcome, Introductions, Day 2 plan

11:00am-12:00pm: Panel 7 – Integrating inclusion and equity in climate advocacy

• Clara Fang, Citizens’ Climate Lobby. "Racial Diversity in the U.S. Climate Movement"
• George Chavez, Sierra Club. "Learnings on Equity and Assessment"
• Josh Uretsky, National Audubon Society. "Data Driving Membership Diversity at Audubon"

12:00pm-1:00pm: Panel 8 – Activating identities in climate politics

• Emily Diamond, University of Rhode Island. "Rural Identities and Attitudes on Climate Change"
• Matt Motta, Oklahoma State University. "A Call to Arms? The opinion dynamics and policy implications of climate change concern in the US military" (with Robert Ralston and Jen Spindel)
• Jennifer Cole, University of Colorado. "Leveraging Social Norms for Public Bipartisan Climate Policy Support"

1:00pm-1:30pm: BREAK

1:30pm-1:50pm: Discussion group set-up

1:50pm-2:50pm: Discussions group breakouts

2:50pm-3:30pm: Reconvene and share-back

3:30pm-4:00pm: BREAK

4:00pm-5:00pm: Panel 9 – Winning on justice-centered policy

• Nicky Sheats, Thomas Edison State College. "Achieving Emissions Reductions for Environmental Justice Communities Through Climate Change Mitigation Policy"
• Aiko Schaefer, 100% Network. "Comprehensive Building Blocks for a Regenerative & Just 100% Policy"
• Parrish Bergquist, Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. "Bundling Climate, Social, and Economic Programs as a Viable Political Strategy"

5:00pm-6:00pm: Panel 10 – Developing efficacy in supporters and volunteers

• Geoff Henderson, University of California, Santa Barbara. "Linking Members to Leaders: How Environmental Associations Can Increase Members' External Political Efficacy"
• Flora Cardoni, PennEnvironment. "Agency and Volunteer Engagement" (with David Broockman and Josh Kalla)
• Melissa Michelson, Menlo College. "Making Activists out of Environmentalists" (with Stephanie DeMora)

6:00pm-6:30pm: Closing, Next steps
 

 

Discussion groups

Code	Topic	Description	Lead
A	Inter-organizational support	This  group will discuss ways organizations can best support each other with tools, knowledge, and resources during the pandemic	Josh Uretsky
B	Organizational pivots due to COVID-19	This discussion group will focus on how advocates are pivoting priorities, messaging and tactics in the COVID-19 era.	Misha D. Clive
C	Labor-Environmental Coalitions	I'd like the group to discuss their experiences and ideas relating to how to build coalitions between environmental advocacy groups and organized labor around a shared climate policy agenda.	Geoff Henderson
D	Digital Relational Organizing in a Pandemic	This discussion group will focus on relational tools as they've suddenly become much more of a focus for many campaigns due to the digital necessity of the pandemic. Laura can talk about KFTC's experience setting up the Empower app and would love to hear more about how other groups are using or want to use digital relational organizing apps in their work.	Laura Greenfield
E	Diversity in the climate movement	This group will focus on ways to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the climate movement.	Clara Fang
F	Racism in progressive data analytics	We are lucky to have thought leaders pushing for mainstream discussion of racism in Big Data. Google searches on "data and racism" yield articles on algorithms of oppression, biased search engines, and the fallacies of big data. There is now (should be not), however, a similar body of work around how racism plays out with "small data," the kinds of data and tech infrastructures that nonprofits, campaigns, and social movements work with day to day. This group will convene data professionals who want to begin creating resources to think through and educate our movement about how racism is present in our work.	Brittany Bennett
G	Health-focused strategies to advance climate advocacy	The Cancer Free Economy Network has convened a multi-network initiative to look at strategies at the intersection of climate/toxic chemicals/health and equity that support community health and climate goals. This discussion would bring together people working at this intersection to share local and regional strategies to support the most vulnerable and impacted communities.	Debra Erenberg
H	Bringing the Climate Message to the Individual Level	During my involvement in the climate movement, I have observed broad denial about the climate problem in the general public. They see our documentaries showing melting arctic ice, stranded polar bears, and burning rain forests. They can’t, however, visualize how that relates to their personal lives struggling for family survival at the level of everyday life. In this discussion group, I would set out my findings and ask for member input in ways to address it.	Bruce Nappi
I	How will your work change after the 2020 election?	There are very likely to be seismic shifts in the political and policy terrain after 2020. New technology and policies are kicking in that may allow millions of more people to vote and vote more easily, while voter suppression may occur from within and outside our country. The census and redistricting are at stake. If the White House, Congress, Governorships and state legislatures change, how will your work adapt? What are the multiple contingency plans needed to tackle the Green New Deal, Paris Accord, and the shift to utility-scale renewable energy?	Sean Kosofsky

 

Questions? Contact Jack Zhou or Justin Rolfe-Redding