Resource Type: Experiments

Using the term “unnatural disasters” may be the best way to message extreme weather and climate impacts. The increase in extreme weather is making millions of Americans unsafe and jeopardizing the people and places that we hold dear. While the solutions are clear, the communication is more complicated than we often think. Using “unnatural disasters” as a concept turns the notion of “natural disasters” on its head and opens the door to conversations about the true cause: fossil fuels. A platform grounded in the notion of “unnatural disasters” boosted support for action on climate change by 10 percentage points overall (including 12 p.p. with Republicans, 8 p.p. with Democrats, and 7 p.p. with Independents). Through conversations with thousands of Americans and months of rigorous testing, Potential Energy found a messaging that simultaneously builds awareness for the problem and generates enthusiasm for the solutions. The phrase “unnatural disasters” was twice as effective at shifting the focus to fossil fuels than simply calling it “extreme weather.”

This study examines how different sources of corrective information may correct such misinformation from Republican elites who blame renewables for power grid failures.

When the Training Team was given the task of building out our Training for Impact Spring 2023 cohort, my wheels immediately started turning; my thoughts kept bringing me to my own experience as a brand new organizer in the climate justice space. Thinking about my own experience and how trainings, peer-to-peer learning, and relationship opportunities supported me in my journey as an organizer and an advocate, I was so excited to build out a program that encapsulated those key aspects with the Lab’s Training Team. Read on to learn how we built out the 2023 Training For Impact cohort! 

Describe the clean energy aspects of the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) as a “landmark achievement” to address climate change and show off local benefits to communities, rather than as a way for people to save money. This is one insight from the Potential Energy Coalition’s research after they surveyed over 15,000 people, tested dozens of messages and gathered hundreds of hours of interview data from Americans across the political spectrum in the past nine months. All to answer the question, what is the best way to talk about clean energy that gets Americans excited? This webinar also covered the public’s current state of opinion and knowledge on these topics, other effective messages and messaging traps to avoid, plus wording guidance.