Skip to main content

Climate Emotions: Helpless Or Hopeful?

by Heidi Zamzow, April 17 2019

With the recent IPCC warning that we may have perhaps a dozen years before we encounter severe and irreversible impacts of climate change, it comes as little surprise that a recent survey* in climate communications research indicates 7 in 10 people in the U.S. are concerned about global warming, with a third of them “very worried.”  About half of those surveyed have personally experienced its effects in their own lives and believe others in the US are being harmed as well.

As science communicators, we may have had years to consider the catastrophic consequences of global warming. But for those who are just beginning to realize that “this is real, this is now”, what are the psychological impacts?

The same survey* indicated that people are more or less evenly split between feeling helpless and feeling hopeful. I encountered similar attitudes when I recently participated in a focus group with other students at The London School of Economics and Political Science, where we explored the ways we connect with and see ourselves in relationship with nature. It didn’t take long for the conversation to turn to climate change. Participants reported feeling overwhelmed, frightened and uncertain, but at the same time they felt a deep responsibility to future generations and to other species.

The good news is that, as climate communicators, our work is having a clear impact: Yale and George Mason University researchers* found that a significant portion of those who have changed their mind about climate change have done so because they have become more informed and are taking this challenge more seriously. However, we also need to be aware of the different ways individuals may be processing what could be new and frightening information.

So how do we convey the significance and urgency of climate change in a way that will leave our audience hopeful and inspired to act, rather than overwhelmed and discouraged? Fortunately, the behavioral science-based communications resources developed by Frameworks Institute and taught through the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI) provide critical insight.

When we use shared values like “protection” or “responsible management” as the lens through which we approach this topic, we keep the narrative focused on why action matters and help to prime a civic mindset that encourages people to think as citizens. Acting together, we can support community-level solutions that are bigger, bolder, and more meaningful than what any one of us could accomplish alone.

As communicators, we can encourage engagement behaviors that will help our audiences connect with other likeminded people in their community. We can also use specific examples of the impacts we’ve already seen from inspirational environmental movements, both past and present, to help people understand how our actions today can have a lasting impact on generations to come. Starting these values-based, solutions-focused conversations spreads the hope we need for swift and effective climate action in our communities.   

*Summarized in the December 2018 report “Climate Change in the American Mind” as part of a decade-long joint study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and Center for Climate Change Communications at George Mason University

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

More Blog Posts

  • Cut through Confusion with Appeals to Protection and Responsibility
    Cut through Confusion with Appeals to Protection and Responsibility September 07 2016 This is the third in a series about framing ocean and climate change. Advocates and experts are familiar with common—but often untrue—tropes about our environment. How can we cut through them and communicate in a way that deepens understanding about the complex [READ MORE]
  • Communicating in the Swamp: How to Navigate Public Thinking About Climate and Ocean Change
    Communicating in the Swamp: How to Navigate Public Thinking About Climate and Ocean Change July 22 2016  This is the first in a series about framing ocean and climate change. When people think about oceans this summer, they might think of a good vacation spot—a place to spread out the beach towel, pop up the umbrella, and relax under the sun as [READ MORE]
  • Museum docent explains an exhibit to childrenMetaphors Can Counter Misinformation about Climate Change
    Metaphors Can Counter Misinformation about Climate Change December 02 2016 This is the fifth post in a series about framing ocean and climate change. Our ability to communicate the science of climate change to the public is as important as ever. The outcome of the recent presidential and congressional elections and the state of public discourse [READ MORE]
  • People stand on a viewing platform overlooking the oceanWe Need a Sea Change in How We Communicate about Ocean Change. Metaphors Can Help.
    We Need a Sea Change in How We Communicate about Ocean Change. Metaphors Can Help. October 28 2016 This is the fourth post in a series about framing ocean and climate change. We depend on our oceans and must protect them, yet they are often overlooked in public conversations about “climate change.” As a result, most people don’t understand how [READ MORE]
  • The Importance of Community in Informal Science Education
    As members of NNOCCI, we all know about the importance of having a community to support our journey as educators. Having a professional community like NNOCCI is vital for our wellbeing and professional growth. A strong sense of community helps reduce isolation in roles that are often solo, temporary, or poorly defined. This can be particularly important when teaching about challenging subjects such as climate change. Being part of a community like NNOCCI can help strengthen professional identity in the field of informal education which often has fluid roles and career pathways.[READ MORE]