Futerra

How to win a thanksgiving dinner argument about climate change… It’s been a long day. A few ‘comments’ from your [insert family member/old friend here] have already raised your blood pressure. You’ve exhausted safe topics about the kids, the food, the weather… and [insert person] dismisses, discredits or denies the issue you care passionately about. It’s time to stand up for what you believe in. Because that’s the right thing to do…right? Here’s my advice: 1 - you absolutely are NOT required to speak up. If your mental health, physical/financial safety or core support relationships would be damaged then leave the space. Play with the kids or pets. WALK AWAY. We need your passion, energy and commitment NEXT WEEK. I promise you that one huge family argument is unlikely to make a tangible difference to anyone except you. So protect your peace. However. IF you can safely speak up. A few things to remember; 2. Family arguments about climate change are NEVER about climate change - they are all about family dynamics. There isn’t an argument in the WORLD that will convince someone to agree with you if family dynamics require them to disagree. It’s worth speaking up so the kids in the family, and others, hear your perspective. Don’t try to convince your [challaging person], think of arguments and stories to convince everyone else. Family arguments are always a performance sport to influence the audience! 3. Go easy on facts/stats and instead address family concerns. Frame climate change in Niece K’s asthma, Uncle B’s problems finding work, Sister J’s interest in science. One of the best lines is ‘I care about climate change because I care about this family’. 4. Keep it light and focused on the emotions. Best line when confronted with climate denial; ‘Wow, I can’t tell you now much I WISH that was true. I wish climate change wasn’t happening. I hate that it is happening, but I accept we’ve got to do something about it.’ Even better, ‘I actually learned from you that it’s better to face up to things like this. You’ve faced some hard truths other people would of ignored’. Research shows people are more likely to accept climate change when reminded they’ve overcome big personal challenges! 5. Focus on the benefits of action. ‘Let’s leave the science to the scientists. I’m interested in how taking action could be good for our family’. Bring the conversation back to saving money, making the home smarter, getting healthier, making sure the kids get good job prospects. Talk about how YOUR life is better because you take action. But never promise perfection, ‘I’m far from perfect on all this. But we need millions of people doing a bit, rather than a few perfect greens’. And finally, remember that the world desperately needs a lot more love, respect and laughter right now rather than more big vicious family bust ups 🙏

My LinkedIn feed has been dominated for a week by controversy and crisis. Secret deals, outraged responses, experts called in, fear at losing something important and anxiety about the future… The #COP29 climate conference posts and #jaguar rebrand posts sometimes almost indistinguishable in rhetoric terms. While I was at COP I rather enjoyed following the ‘jag-gate’ kerfuffle as a distraction. I’m connected with loads of folks in marcomms and advertising ALL who have a strong POV on jags new logo. But now I’m growing envious of so much creative energy, so much deep thought on messaging, so much passion being spent on one rebrand. So please creative friends - if you posted your thoughts on #jaguar comms - please post your thoughts on #climate comms! Balance out your karma by putting a tithe of that creative energy into the biggest creative brief in the world - saving it.

Thanks WorkforClimate for turning this into a quote post!

Yesterday, we attended an incredible panel hosted by Futerra Solutions Union, WeAreALBERT, BAFTA, and the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance in the #COP29 blue zone 🇺🇳 No gatekeeping here 🔓 — so here’s one key takeaway that stuck with us: Most people AREN'T motivated by traditional ‘green’ messages. Instead, they’re driven by factors like success, fun, visibility, and esteem (a framework presented by Solitaire Townsend) This means we need to flip the script on climate storytelling. It’s not enough to inform or educate; we need to craft stories people want to be part of, stories that resonate with their aspirations and identities 🦸🕵️♂️👩🎤 To quote Kobina Ackon (Wode Maya®): “We need to make the climate conversation very sexy!” 💅 So, here are a few questions to think about: 🪙 What’s the social currency of the movement? How does joining it elevate people’s sense of identity, their status, their connection to something bigger? 🌝 What does it look like to make climate action aspirational? What stories can we tell to make the movement attractive, engaging, and inclusive for all audiences? A huge thank you to speakers Solitaire Townsend Tamseel Hussain Sam Read Catherine Ellis Kobina Ackon (Wode Maya®) and David Garrido for pushing the boundaries of how we think about climate storytelling 🔮 #ClimateCommunications #Storytelling

📢 “Can an organization really claim to be ‘Paris Aligned’ if it doesn’t have a strategy for public engagement and solutions storytelling?” In her latest op-ed in edie, Solitaire Townsend, Chair of Futerra Solutions Union and member of the UN Climate Change ECCA Steering Committee on Film & TV, argues that storytelling is an essential but underutilized tool in addressing the climate crisis - and a responsibility of all Race to Zero signatories. Today at #COP29, We Mean Business Coalition Pavilion sponsors Futerra, WeAreALBERT and the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance. Solitaire brought together practitioners from Hollywood, Bollywood, BAFTA and beyond in an event on ‘lessons from the film and TV industry on climate storytelling’. Participants shared insights on how sustainability and climate issues are increasingly represented in global media and what policymakers can do to support the industry and creative community through Article 12 of the Paris Agreement. As Solitaire highlights in her piece, Article 12 of the #ParisAgreement is a neglected yet powerful clause that encourages countries to promote climate education, public awareness, and engagement. “But whose responsibility is it to sow these story seeds? Politicians are too often gridlocked, and the news media has one eye perpetually on ratings. But the creative industries, especially film and television, are uniquely positioned to make Article 12 come alive. This $2 trillion dollar industry has the creativity and cultural reach to shift mindsets, ignite passions, and make climate solutions feel not only possible but desirable.” Governments must partner with and fund creative industries to bring climate solutions to screens around the world. We can’t leave this to market forces alone; while climate-themed projects are gaining momentum, too many of them still center on disaster and despair, and too few offer a hopeful, solution-oriented narrative. It’s time to change that.” The event; Lessons From the Film & TV industry on Climate Storytelling was moderated by Sky Sports presenter David Garrido and featured: Tamseel Hussain, CEO & Founder of People Like Us Create (PLUC) Catherine Ellis, Head of Climate Content at WeAreALBERT Sam Read, Executive Director of Sustainable Entertainment Alliance Wode Maya ®, YouTuber Read more of Solitaire’s op-ed: https://lnkd.in/e8hSkBDd

Storytelling Solutions at #COP29! Come join our panel on Film & TV at 6pm in the We Mean Business Pavilion- with a reception (including food and drink) at 7-8pm! COP29 Azerbaijan

Is #COP worth it? That’s such a hard question and I don’t think any one person can answer definitively. Because how could any one person know ALL the connections, ideas, commitments, new projects, resolved issues, personal inspiration and ripple effects that happen there? What I can say… ⚡️ When I started studying climate in mid 1990’s the assumption was the greenhouse effect acceleration was almost unmitigateable - ‘alternative’ energy was expensive and rare. EVs a joke. Meat, air transport, consumption, loss and damage all unmentionable. COP has been a huge part of changing that. ⚡️ COP is the floor - not the ceiling. The absolute minimum that every ‘party’ can agree to. Including those at war with each other and those entirely economically dependent upon fossil fuels. Because of veto votes they ALL have to agree. It’s actually extraordinary and improbable that COP agreements happen at all. ⚡️ Is COP good enough, ambitious enough, urgent enough or fair? NO. COP is definitely not enough. But that doesn’t mean COP is nothing. It’s still the best (and bluntly, the only) global process to address our climate emergency. Being in Azerbaijan, with oil-wells pumping in city streets, felt frankly ridiculous at times. At the same time the connections, passion, diversity, profound commitment and care evident at COP was palpable. COP needs to reformed. COP needs to be protected. #COP29 COP29 Azerbaijan

Could Article 12 of the Paris Agreement unlock EVERYTHING? ⚡️Here at #COP28 I’m going all in on climate storytelling and public engagement ⚡️ Imagine what’s possible with a public mandate? With billions of people desperate for the benefits of sustainability? Everyone demanding solutions? Read my new op-ed on Article 12 and how governments could power up solutions storytelling. https://lnkd.in/eeHfN8DA

Storytelling Solutions at #COP29! Come join our panel on Film & TV at 6pm in the We Mean Business Pavilion- with a reception (including food and drink) at 7-8pm! COP29 Azerbaijan

Just your average midnight at #COP29 - training thousands of TikTokers on climate along with Neil deGrasse Tyson! I’m on an Article 12’ crusade - the provision in the Paris Agreement to engage the public in climate action. Here at COP29 I’ve also facilitated a dinner of YouTubers for Google and chaired the first UNFCCC public event of ECCA Film & TV Commitee. But we need do more more. Properly funding Article 12 would unlock EVERY OTHER part of the Paris Agreement. Something I’ll continue shouting from the rooftops here. (To keep it real - also sharing a pic of my laptop balancing on a trash bin for tonight’s webinar. COP is exciting but it ain’t glamorous).