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After decades of public communication on climate change, we face a sobering truth: much of it hasn’t worked. Or at least, it hasn’t worked as well as we assumed. The tone has often been top-down, patronising – even preachy. Messages have swung from doom and despair to bright green futures, but through it all, one thing has been consistently weak: listening.
We've long debated what to say and how to say it, but rarely asked what people are trying to tell us. What do they fear? What don’t they trust? This omission may help explain why we are now facing a growing political backlash against net-zero policies.
The 2025 Information Integrity about Climate Science report from the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) warns that the public's ability to make sense of climate science is being eroded by misinformation and distortion. This confusion is not just a problem of bad actors – it reflects a deeper breakdown in the relationship between science and society.
Communication is often led by well-meaning amateurs: journalists, influencers, or activists. While many play a vital role, the lack of grounding in their understanding can lead to mis-prioritisation. The focus drifts from actions which would encourage substantive structural change towards those which give the sense that individuals are to blame and solutions will be imposed on them from on high. The result? Climate change solutions feel like something being done to people, not with them.
Some interpret this as climate denial, but it may also be a sign that people are simply overwhelmed and have genuine concerns about cost, fairness and control. This may be a communications failure, but it is also a professional opportunity.
As the Energy Institute’s New Energy World journal recently argued, the current backlash isn’t the end – it’s a chance to reframe the conversation. The New Statesman has similarly called for a more inclusive “climate populism” that meets people where they are. But first, we have to know where people are. That starts by listening.
I’ve worked in this field for over 30 years. I remember when climate change was a definite conversation killer. These days, climate change comes up in everyday conversations. What I hear isn’t denial – it’s confusion, anxiety and a grappling to make sense of it all. As sustainability professionals, communication is the tool that drives our work. And yet, we’ve largely left the broader climate narrative to others.
Is there a more proactive role for ISEP members in climate communication – not to launch a campaign, but to start by listening? What are members hearing in their sectors? How can we elevate public discourse? We often ask what matters most in climate communication: tone, message, messenger. But if we’re serious about building trust and engagement, listening must come first.
People are paying attention. It’s time we paid attention to them.
Author: Richard Holmes MSc, MEI, MISEP, CEnv, is director at Third Stone Ltd, with over 30 years’ experience in consultancy, training and communications.
