Resource Center

When the Lab announced its first-ever open call for field research grant ideas in March, Lab members responded with more than 50 (great!) proposals aimed at testing new approaches to better engage Americans on climate and clean energy. The volume and quality of proposals were a clear reflection of the community’s interest in taking our public engagement work up a few notches, and choosing between them was not an easy task.
This week, we’re sharing the 10 field research grants the Lab team awarded. Many thanks again to everyone who submitted a proposal, and we look forward to sharing the results of these tests with the broader community over the next 6-12 months.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its most recent report on Monday examining the global impacts of 1.5 degrees of warming, and its conclusions were… kind of a bummer, to be honest! Even those of us immersed daily in the facts, figures, and projections of the climate crisis may find it difficult to grasp the scale of change needed to meaningfully address climate change — and find it even more difficult to remain hopeful. So how can we most thoughtfully and effectively communicate the gravity of the situation and urgency of action to folks in our communities?

We often hear about framing and message testing as one messenger communicating to one audience, but things  are rarely ever that simple. Instead, like the celebrated format of cable news pundit shows, the communication landscape usually consists of two sides talking against, over, and past each other. This week’s alert digs into the true contested nature of framing and  some tips on  how to use  counterframing  for more effective engagement.