Navigating the Climate Conversation: Should Sustainable Businesses Engage with Climate Sceptic Media?
Despite climate change being arguably the most urgent issue facing the world today, last week the UK Government announced a U-turn on some of its key green policies — including delays to phasing out petrol and diesel cars, as well as gas boilers.
For companies and individuals focused on accelerating the fight against climate change, this development has been met with disappointment and also can be viewed as a stark reminder that the UK is still far from aligned on this issue.
If ‘climate complacency’ — as some are referring to these policies — becomes the norm and our Government is sending the message that we can take our foot off the pedal, the uphill battle becomes even greater for those who are urging us all to take sustainability seriously.
Which begs the question, if even our leaders are failing to grasp the scale or urgency of the problem, should sustainable brands and companies risk engaging with climate sceptic media and audiences, or is it better to stick to getting messages across to those who are likely to be more receptive?
The best way forward may be found in a certain degree of acceptance that hard-to-convince audiences, as well as the media they follow will have other issues that feel more immediate and closer to home. In the short term at least, it may pay to be considerate of this, as changing fundamental beliefs and values won’t happen overnight.
For example, a central debate now is whether we can afford the journey to net zero to progress at a rapid pace — with Sunak citing the cost of living as a key reason for the Government’s slowdown on green policies.
Sustainable companies now need to show an awareness that the cost of living and climate crisis are inextricably linked and be able to explain how green tech and innovation will also improve other areas of society that these audiences care about — the economy, jobs, and public services to name a few.
A company and founder adept at engaging with audiences in this manner is Dale Vince of green renewable energy provider, Ecotricity. The self-made businessman continues to inspire a high level of coverage, engagement, and conversation across the spectrum of the UK media landscape.
Personally, I’ve been impressed with Vince’s willingness to tackle the likes of GBNews or TalkTV — channels which are at times openly sceptical about net zero initiatives and climate solutions.
Vince joins these discussions with both straight talk and good grace — engaging with the hosts using humour, but also setting out to fact-check and provide clarity around the need for climate action and, most importantly, its wider benefits for society.
Although this approach isn’t for the faint-hearted, the adage of ‘he who dares wins’ could be applied in this case — or perhaps more accurately, he who dares at least gets his point across far better than those who stay silent or are afraid to engage.
Jack Ferris is Sustainability PR Lead at specialist communications agency, 33Seconds
A version of this article was also published on PRWeek.com on 21st September 2023
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