Climate change communication: evolution, frames and the movable middle

Abstract

Climate change is humanity’s most pressing issue and it has been confirmed as such by extensive scientific evidence. Climate change communication plays a key role in addressing its complexity, explaining the state of affairs, and effectively engaging the public to partake in climate action. The present work explores the evolution of climate change communication and the intersection of science communication and policymaking. It also examines various climate change framings used in communications and reflects upon them using social science theories. Research suggests that the usage of certain frames could be ineffective in engaging audiences and may even lead to unintended consequences. Therefore, the present work aims to encourage communicators to carefully select appropriate framings and provides forward-looking recommendations for communicating the climate crisis and promoting climate action among the movable middle.