Resource Type: Field Research

COP28 begins in Dubai today during what will likely be the hottest year on record. Notably, it’s also the first time in the conference’s history that health will play a central theme, which speaks to how far we’ve come in bridging the climate and health worlds compared to just a few years ago, thanks to advocacy efforts across the movement and a rapidly growing body of research making the connection evident.
Health-related impacts of climate change have become impossible to overlook—from heat stroke, to climate anxiety, to air pollution from fossil fuel facilities, and they all disproportionately impact BIPOC and frontline communities. The Lancet Countdown recently published a new report highlighting how the alarming health risks are only getting worse due to continued global inaction, and even Billboard has begun keeping track of major concerts disrupted by extreme weather and its health impacts across the world.
Now more than ever, health is a relevant, compelling angle in engaging the public on climate change, and health professionals are uniquely positioned to leverage their trusted voices for climate action. So this week, we’re sharing insights from the Lab’s Climate & Health Peer Learning Circle (one completed early 2023, and the other currently in progress!) which provides cohorts of health professionals with the necessary training to effectively engage their colleagues and the public on climate.

Join the Rural Climate Partnership for a presentation on how we can use a benefits-forward narrative strategy to connect with rural people. Together, we’ll explore 5 narrative keys that allow communicators to reach across cultural differences and avoid culture war frames to connect on shared values.

As we previewed a couple of weeks ago, Justin and I recently attended the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in Los Angeles. APSA is (at least in my opinion) the top conference in political science and draws some of the brightest scholars and most insightful research from across the discipline. It’s also usually the only occasion I have each year to get updated on emerging research, catch up with some of our social scientist members, bring in new scholars to the Lab community, and generally try to stay relevant in the field. In this feature, I’ll give you a quick recap of our time in LA and share some thoughts on how the issue of climate change has grown in prominence in the study of politics.

As the global climate crisis intensifies, extreme heat events are becoming more frequent and severe worldwide. This escalating heat has placed the topic at the forefront of climate change discussions, with city governments increasingly concerned about the risks posed by extreme temperatures. To limit the impact on communities and safeguard public health, effective communication of heat risks, especially to vulnerable populations, is of paramount importance.

Like many of you, the Lab team has been exploring how we can best support the climate movement at this critical moment, with nearly a trillion dollars on the table to reshape the climate and energy landscape following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),  Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and CHIPS & Science Act. Simultaneously, we know communities across the country continue to suffer from the impacts and fight build-out of the extractive, polluting fossil fuel industry – including many of my neighbors across the Southeast, calling on President Biden to oppose the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

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.