How are you measuring your organization’s efforts and advances towards meaningful long-term change? Would you like to begin the process of identifying a unique set of metrics that best suit your organizational goals and power-building strategies?

Use media behavior to learn how to reach and move people toward a narrative for all major household appliances and vehicles that is pro-electric. “Lifestyle conservatives” look like a key audience: Better understanding the factors underlying their consideration of and conversion to electrics seems important; this may point to supply-side work that needs doing. Excellent message research on EV’s exists: focus on the policy infrastructure for mainstreaming EVs means it may be of limited utility in understanding consumer choices for lifestyle conservatives, given how lukewarm they can be on government policy for just about anything; also any emphasis on climate is not likely to help here. Most important is to start making content: think about putting content out into the world and testing it with audiences in quick iterative loops that connect back to and constantly update strategic assumptions.

A roundup of science-based reporting resources can help bring climate change context into a range of stories. Most adults in the U.S. (72%) are convinced that global warming is happening, yet only 58% understand that human activities are the main cause. Local news is uniquely positioned to fill these knowledge gaps and inform the public on the causes and consequences of climate change — especially during extreme weather events. A new report from Nielsen and Climate Central analyzed four recent extreme weather events in the U.S.

There is power in local media to reach audiences and drive awareness on climate change during extreme weather events. Nielsen collaborated with Climate Central, a policy-neutral non-profit climate science organization, to assess the presence of accurate and informative climate reporting in local media to engage communities affected by extreme weather events. According to the American Meteorological Society, local weather broadcasting is extremely effective in raising awareness about climate change. Climate Central collaborated with Nielsen to analyze local TV newscasts for climate change content and measure the audience reach associated with those broadcasts. Despite increasing public concern about the link between climate change and extreme weather, only 28% of people in the U.S. say they hear about global warming in the media at least once a week. This suggests that media, including local media, frequently misses opportunities to increase public understanding and awareness of extreme weather and climate change.

Effects of the climate crisis and various political responses have captured attention on social media and online news media recently. Several Instagram posts about the global record-breaking heat this month went viral – and they exemplify a key issue that the climate world is facing: how do we talk about the climate crisis without making people feel too doomed or helpless in the face of it? Seventh Generation, an eco-friendly paper, cleaning, and personal care product corporation, is running ads in favor of the Green New Deal. Presidential candidate and conspiracy theorist RFK Jr. is a staunch believer in climate change… but he also thinks it’s being used to impose totalitarian control, according to social media posts. The FTC is reviewing its “Green Guides” for the first time in nearly a decade.

The divide between Democrats and Republicans on which news sources are trustworthy remains stark. Americans are 53 points more likely to call The Weather Channel trustworthy as they are to call it untrustworthy. It's also the only outlet that YouGov asked about that more Democrats (+64) and Republicans (+47) trust than the shares who distrust it. The Weather Channel is just one of two outlets polled about that a majority of Republicans trust; the other one is Fox News (56% of Republicans trust it, with a net trust score among them of +41). When it comes to the national rankings, The Weather Channel is followed by national public broadcaster PBS (+30), the U.K. news outlet BBC (+29), and The Wall Street Journal (+24) in national trust. This year's poll has the same group in the top four as last year's poll — even with the additions to this year's poll.

"Nuggets" are bite-sized, science-backed tips to help creators change the conversation about the climate crisis. The site is a resource, featuring an abundance of creative inspiration and practical tools that can start climate messengers on their journey to creating never-before-seen climate content. “Creative prompt” Nuggets reflect data-backed, climate-friendly behavioral changes and ideas. They also feature content from other creators who have made great content around the topic. “Resource” Nuggets give practical tips on how to start weaving in climate messages into work and brand, even if you’ve never talked about climate before. Examples include “On food,” “On living,” “On nature,” “On moving,” and more.

The landscape and demand for climate stories are shifting. For a very long time, the conversation around climate change and the environment has been led by circles of scientists and policy and law makers with artists, storytellers, and BIPOC communities being largely absent from the conversation until recently. Independent film is breaking the cycle of the dominant film industry voices that have controlled which stories are told (and not told), how they are told, and who gets to tell them. Stories are helping to humanize and depoliticize the issue of climate change, providing complex and nuanced perspectives to audiences and building bridges over once-polarizing waters. The independent film industry is helping pave the way for a more environmentally aware and engaged future, but there’s still work to be done.

Today, an overwhelming majority of Americans get news at least sometimes from digital devices. A large majority of U.S. adults (82%) say they often or sometimes get news from a smartphone, computer or tablet, including 49% who say they do so often. This is similar to the 51% who said they often got news from digital devices in 2021, but lower than the 60% of those who said the same in 2020. When asked which of these platforms they prefer to get news on, about half of Americans say they prefer a digital device (53%), more than say they prefer TV (33%). Even fewer Americans prefer radio (7%) or print (5%). Among digital platforms, news websites or apps are also the most preferred source for news: About a quarter of U.S. adults (23%) prefer to get their news this way, compared with 13% who prefer social media, 12% who prefer search and 4% who say they prefer podcasts.

Climate fiction is an opportunity to imagine a future built on sustainability, inclusivity and justice. This second-annual short story contest invited writers around the world to envision the next 180 years of equitable climate progress. The 12 finalists are featured in this collection, including the winning entry written in Jamaican patois.