What if action, not awareness, is the key to communicating about  climate change?

In this episode, Tom speaks with neuroscientist and climate communication expert Kris de Meyer about the psychology of agency, belief, and action. Drawing on years of research - and a pivotal moment watching a misleading climate documentary - Kris explains why information alone doesn’t change minds, and why persuasion is often the wrong goal entirely.

Hear Kris argue for:

• A radical shift: from explaining the problem to enabling action
• From individual choices to collective agency
• From fear-driven narratives to stories that show what’s already being done
• How people can take part.

Learn more about how beliefs are shaped by action, why listening beats arguing, and how communicators - from scientists to campaigners - can unlock “penny drop” moments that lead to real change.

If you’re trying to communicate climate more effectively, this episode offers a powerful reframing: don’t just tell people what’s wrong - help them discover what they can do.

Recommended books: Fairhaven: A Novel of Climate Optimism by Steve Willis & Jan Lee

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/209228205-fairhaven / The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

Follow Kris De Meyer at https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisdm/

Additional notes: 

Climate Action Unit (UCL) - https://www.ucl.ac.uk/climate-action-unit/

Transforming the Stories We Tell About Climate Change: From Issue to Action: A 2020 paper written by Kris -  https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abcd5a

TED Talk: How to Stop Feeling Stuck on Climate Change - https://www.ted.com/talks/kris_de_meyer_how_to_stop_feeling_stuck_on_climate_change

Right Between Your Ears - https://filmfreeway.com/454046

An Inconvenient Truth - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Inconvenient_Truth

Star Trek: The Next Generation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation

Released: 24/3/26

Run time: 45m

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube