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Communicating Climate Risk: The Communicator’s Balancing Act
Effective strategies for conveying climate crisis urgency while maintaining public trust and scientific accuracy

Dear reader,
Welcome to this week's edition of Wag The Dog, in which I take a look at communicating climate risk in a world of growing crises.
As I prepare to share these thoughts with you on climate communication in an emergency, my heart goes out to the people affected by the devastating floods in southern Spain.
Living here in Portugal, I've been following the events in our neighbouring communities with great concern. Whilst the first draft of this article was written before the recent events, the timing emphasises why this conversation is so important.
Floods, fires, hurricanes and heatwaves have become part of our everyday lives, presenting communicators with the dual challenge of informing people and moving them to action.
In this issue, I discuss strategies and insights for communicating risk at a time when clear, actionable information can make all the difference.
Table of Contents
Risk communication today: basic principles
The stakes in climate emergencies are high, requiring thoughtful, transparent communication. The public needs timely information, but more importantly, they need to be able to trust the sources that provide it1 . Here are some key approaches that can contribute to effective communication:

The risk communication triangle
Transparency and trust:
People need accurate, straightforward information. This includes removing ambiguity and remaining consistent across all communication channels to create a foundation of trust.
Relevance to the target audience:
Messages should speak directly to the concerns of the community and provide practical details that help people understand the “why” behind the proposed actions.
Two-way engagement:
In high-risk situations, communicators can benefit from active listening by taking the pulse of public feedback and refining messages accordingly.
Avoiding misinformation in climate communication
Misinformation and disinformation are a constant obstacle in crisis situations. False claims often spread quickly and disrupt the flow of reliable information. In climate crises, misleading messages can discourage people from taking the right actions or, worse, encourage them to take actions that increase their risk.
While social media platforms are taking steps to curb the spread of misinformation, crisis communicators need to be proactive and ensure that reliable information is front and centre. This includes sharing evidence-based updates, openly addressing uncertainties and ensuring that messages are easy to find and understand.
Strategies to get the climate risk message across
Research on risk communication has identified a number of best practises2 that can help ensure that climate-related messages are effective and realisable:

Adaptive framing:
Rather than just focusing on the threats, messages that revolve around practical actions give people a clearer path forward and reduce feelings of helplessness. Visual aids — such as infographics or photos of actual events — can help anchor abstract risks in reality.
Cultural awareness:
People interpret information through their cultural context and values. Communicators should tailor their messages to resonate with the values of specific communities to make risk communication more personal and immediately relevant.
Multi-channel approach:
From social media to local news, using multiple platforms ensures that risk messages reach diverse populations, including those less inclined to seek out information themselves.
Regular feedback loops:
Gathering feedback helps determine how well messages are being received and whether adjustments need to be made as the situation changes. This responsiveness also contributes to increased trust and engagement.
Building stronger communities through informed communication
Resilient communities are often the result of open, ongoing dialogue between communicators and the public. By keeping their messages understandable, engaging and relevant, communication professionals can have a critical impact on how communities prepare for and respond to climate events.
Effective climate communication requires more than just disseminating warnings; it relies on building meaningful connections with communities, actively listening and responding to changing needs and challenges.
So, are you ready to communicate climate crises related risk messages to your audiences and stakeholder? Let’s discuss.
References and further reading.
1 Keller, K., Helgeson, C., & Vivek Srikrishnan. (2021). Climate Risk Management. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 49(1), 95–116. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-080320-055847
2 Lim, J. R. (2022). Why People Adopt Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Behaviors: Integrated Model of Risk Communication and Results from Hurricanes, Floods, and Wildfires. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. https://doi.org/10.1175/bams-d-21-0087.1
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What I am reading/testing/checking out:
Report: A new survey by WE Communications and the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations reveals an important shift in how communicators are engaging with AI
Article: Is Reddit the Future of Crisis Comms?
Research: Top Generative AI Chatbots by Market Share – October 2024
Article: Forbes - Leading In Uncertain Times: How Transparent Leadership Shapes Crisis Communications Post-Covid-19
Let’s meet!
Here are the events and conferences I'll be speaking at. If you're around, feel free to message me and we can meet up for a coffee or a Negroni.
🇺🇸 International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Annual Conference, 7 November, Colorado Springs, USA (remote/virtual).
🇳🇿 Emergency Media and Public Affairs (EMPA) conference, 7 November, Wellington, New Zealand (remote/virtual)
🌐 AI for Crisis Communications: Navigating Turbulent Times - Virtual Training via Zoom - November 21-22, 10 AM - 3 PM (Eastern Time) / 4 PM - 9 PM (Central European Time). Register here.
🇧🇪 AI in PR Boot Camp II, 20-21 February 2025, Brussels, Belgium
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Parts of this newsletter were created using AI technology to draft content. In addition, all AI-generated images include a caption stating, 'This image was created using AI'. These changes were made in line with the transparency requirements of the EU AI law for AI-generated content. Some links in this newsletter may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase; however, I only promote tools and services that I have tested, use myself, or am convinced will make a positive difference.
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