How people understand climate change affects how supportive they are of policies to do something about it. So the way politicians talk about climate change matters. But what politicians say is only part of the story. People make decisions unconsciously and are influenced as much by what they see and experience as by what they hear. So government should focus on the signals it sends out through what it does (its actions and policies), as well as what it says. We asked the experts to suggest the ways in which politicians could improve their communication and inspire stronger public support for action on climate change. In two parts, this guide first examines what is wrong with current efforts and then proposes how to get it right. While a communication strategy may not lead directly to behaviour change, it can help to reframe the debate on climate change, and shift public perception so that individual campaigns, incentives and legislation are more successful.
