Relational Climate Conversations

Before we can convince the American public to walk the walk on climate action, we've got to get our supporters to talk the talk. This Guide page lays out how advocates can build a relational climate conversations (RCCs) program to inspire supporters to take this most basic and neglected action: letting family members, friends, and neighbors know that they are not alone in caring about climate change, and that there are ways to face this crisis if they act together. Download the most recent version of this slidedeck here.

Additional tools and resources to support your work:

Relational Climate Conversation Slidedeck
Slidedeck: How (and why) to Hold Relational Climate Conversations
A full training slidedeck on the value of relational climate converstions for generating transformative climate actions
Building a Relational Climate Conversation Program
Tipsheet: Building a Relational Climate Conversation Program
A set of instructions and commentary on the whys and hows of developing a relational climate conversations program, including a roadmap for training supporters
The transformative potential of relational climate conversations
Insight: The transformative potential of relational climate conversations
An essay with insights from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History on training their supporters to hold RCCs
How to talk about climate change: Ask questions
Article: How to talk about climate change: Ask questions
A model with steps on how to get a conversation started by centering the chat around personal connections to the issue and concrete actions
Discussing global warming leads to greater acceptance of climate science
Article: Discussing global warming leads to greater acceptance of climate science
This paper touches on three major concepts in climate communication: consensus framing, pluralistic ignorance, and the effectiveness of trusted peers as communicators on difficult and polarized issues
Children can foster climate change concern among their parents
Article: Children can foster climate change concern among their parents
Research showing that children who talk with their parents about climate change are effective in persuading pro-climate family actions
Lead with Listening: A Guidebook for Community Conversations on Climate Migration
Report: Lead with Listening: A Guidebook for Community Conversations on Climate Migration
Insights from interviews with folks displaced by climate change inform this guidebook for leading community conversations on climate migration
Relational organizing guide
Guide: Relational Organizing
The Lab's training guide page on the wider topic of relational organizing
 
Check out more content on this topic in our Resource Library!
Key Points
  • You are not alone: While the American public is largely concerned about climate change and willing to take action, people isolate themselves by not talking about the issue in their daily lives.
  • It helps to reach out: Advocates can help break this spiral of silence by encouraging their supporters to have frank and open conversations about climate change with the people who trust them most.
  • Know your audience: Supporters should select people in their lives who they know (or suspect) to care about climate change and may just need a personal touch to engage further on the issue.
  • Bring it on home: Some particular messages that might play well include discussing local impacts and solutions to climate change, and reinforcing that there’s room for hope on the issue if actions are taken.
  • Listen up, folks: While supporters should go into conversations prepared, they ought to start by listening to how their friend to family member perceives the issue and adapt accordingly.
  • Keep it constructive: Climate conversations might get fraught, and that’s ok. Train your supporters to deal with conflict and redirect it into productive conversation.
  • Infrastructure matters: Organizations should steady their supporters to initiate conversations with training, check-ins, and emotional support programs like “buddying them up” beforehand.  
  • A path to transformation: A successful relational climate conversations program can help your supporters and their loved ones’ feel more ready and eager to take bigger climate actions and feel supported doing so.