Changing the Climate Conversation

Climate communicators have long grappled with the question of how to move people from being concerned about climate change to doing something about it. In this episode Macarena Aguilar talks to journalist and climate communicator, Mariana Castaño, about her experience on the UN communications team for the landmark 2015 Paris COP, which saw people mobilized around the world. They also unpack Mariana's recipe for moving people to action, which involves a careful mix of alarm, hope, inspiration and empowering communications efforts. With her newly founded 10 Billions Solutions initiative, Mariana is striving to use communications to inspire every single person on this planet to have a positive footprint by 2050.

10 Billion Solutions: https://10billionsolutions.com
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Blair Palese has been an environmental campaigner and writer for almost 30 years, working at the heart of some of the world’s biggest and most impactful campaigns for climate action. She started her career – “bottom of rung” – at Greenpeace in the United States, but quickly became the head of communications globally for the organization. In 2009, she started the Australian arm of the incredibly successful 350.org movement, which has helped divest trillions of dollars from fossil fuels. Seeing the power of divestment campaigns, Blair is now focused on helping investors to navigate the risks and opportunities as global economies transition away from fossil fuels. 

In this episode, Blair shares her insights after almost three decades on the front lines of climate action and why right now she is very optimistic. She also shares her tips for staying sane and keeping up the fight for a safe climate. 

Useful links and resources we reference in the episode:

-       350.org

-       Exxon Valdez changed the oil industry forever—but new threats emerge

-       Climate and Capital Media

Archive news clips courtesy of: New York Times, CNN and BBC. 

Archive campaign audio clips courtesy of: 350.org

Climate change is not just about what’s happening to our planet, but about how it’s affecting our economies, health and every aspect of our lives. Most of us know that now. But for too long climate stories were framed as an environmental issue only, missing the connection to our everyday lives. In this episode Macarena Aguilar talks to veteran journalist and activist, Esmeralda de Belgique, about how this approach has contributed to delaying collective action to address the biggest challenge of our times. 

Esmeralda has been involved with the environment and climate justice movements for decades.  She is active in the boards of some of the largest environmental organizations, like WWF and Greenpeace; and she heads the conservation foundation that she inherited from her father, the late King Leopold III of Belgium. 

As a member of the Belgium royal family, Esmeralda has often leveraged her position to advocate for climate justice. In this interview she explains how she joined the 2019 Extinction Rebellion landmark protests in London to get arrested and galvanize support for the cause. You will also hear her call for a lot more people to join the peaceful street demonstrations and praise today’s climate youth advocates, who she believes are the most effective climate change messengers of our times. 

Useful links and resources we reference in the episode

2010: Terre!: Agissons pour la planète, il n´est past trop tard. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Terre-Agissons-pour-planète-tard/dp/2873866829/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1601985383&refinements=p_27:Esmeralda+de+Belgique&s=books&sr=1-1

Articles published by Esmeralda de Belgique: https://www.lecho.be/auteur/Esmeralda-de-Belgique.71541.html

Coverage of Esmeralda de Belgique’s arrest in London: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/extinction-rebellion-london-belgian-princess-esmerelda-arrest-billingsgate-climate-latest-news-a9153621.html

Esmeralda de Belgique speaks to Paris Match about the need for a “climate revolution: https://www.parismatch.com/Royal-Blog/famille-royale-belge/Esmeralda-de-Belgique-Il-faut-une-revolution-pour-le-climat-1593613

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In Australia, there is a disconnect between those who experience climate change in rural areas and how it is reported in national newsrooms. In this episode Rebecca talks to award winning Australian journalist Sue Stephenson about why firsthand rural perspectives and solutions are so important for changing the climate conversation.
 
 As a young, ambitious journalist Sue got her start at a country newspaper in Northern New South Wales. But it wasn’t long before Sue’s talent for storytelling was noticed and she was eventually offered a job in Sydney as a television journalist with the Seven Network. From there she went on to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) where she was the founding executive producer of the national broadcaster’s first 24-hour news channel. Today, in her latest role as a lecturer at University of Technology Sydney’s Journalism school, Sue is working hard to equip the next generation of multimedia reporters as they prepare to enter the workforce in an era of toxic climate politics and uncertainty.
 
 At the height of Australia’s so called recent ‘Black Summer’ in late 2019 and early 2020, Sue sent a group of young city-based student reporters into the regional communities hardest hit by the fires. Their findings were surprising and powerful. Their reporting brought to life the human face of climate change, so rarely seen in the Australian media. They returned with a practical understanding of the many ways that climate change is already affecting so many people in regional Australia, and how country people are already adapting. We need more reporting like this says Sue.   
 
 Useful links and resources we reference in the episode
 
 Climate Council (2016), “On the Frontline: Climate Change and Rural Communities”: https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/ruralreport/

 UTS Journalism launches regional reporting project: https://www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-arts-and-social-sciences/news/uts-journalism-launches-regional-reporting-project

Central News UTS: https://centralnews.com.au

 The Solutions Journalism Network, “Reporting on Climate Change from a Solutions Lens”: https://thewholestory.solutionsjournalism.org/reporting-on-climate-change-from-a-solutions-lens-765e57e28724

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The message that we need to act now on climate change is falling flat, even in the face of extreme climate-driven crises like the recent Australian bushfires. We explore why with leading social researcher, Rebecca Huntley, who has spent the past 15 years listening to people from all walks of life and their views on climate change. 

After experiencing climate change firsthand when the recent Australian bush fires ripped through our community, we're on a mission to find out why this issue is still so divisive, stifling urgently-needed action. We're asking leading thinkers, scientists, experts, activists and optimists how communicators can help change the climate conversation and inspire way more action. Listen to our teaser and subscribe. Our first episode is due out in April!