[ [link removed] ]350.org

 

 



Hi John,

On February 28, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
published its latest climate report. I know the news has been difficult to
read with everything else going on. Catastrophic impacts, tipping points,
climate breakdown. It’s hard to comprehend, but it’s not the full picture.

There is another, even more powerful story out there: ours. That’s the
story that’s going to inspire action.

Our movement is celebrating victories against fossil fuels and building a
more just, sustainable future every day. And to keep winning, we need to
build this movement.

One of the most powerful things you can do in the fight for a safe and
livable future is talk to your friends and loved ones. Every conversation
could inspire another person to join our fight against the fossil fuel
industry.

We’ve put together some [ [link removed] ]resources for having climate conversations
here.

It’s easy to get started. Here are a few tips:

1. Find your audience

While you aren’t likely going to turn a climate change denier into a
climate activist, the chances are you already know people who care.
Perhaps a family member made a passing comment about extreme weather in
the news, or has mentioned their new plan to bike to work.

Whatever it is, see if you can strike up a conversation about it.

2. Listen.

You might have read all the news stories, maybe even the whole IPCC
report. But not everyone will. So it’s important to meet them where they
are.

Ask your friends and family questions about their own experiences of
climate change. Focus on careful listening in your conversations and offer
a chance for them to channel what they feel into something powerful, if
they want to.^1

3. Speak to lived experiences.

As tempting as it is to launch into all the facts mentioned in the new
report, these things can feel far removed from people’s lives. People are
motivated by stories and emotion rather than facts.^2

A better way to engage someone is to speak about what climate impacts you
and they are experiencing directly. Perhaps it’s the way seasons aren’t
the same or the more frequent flooding, droughts, or wildfires. Whenever
it is, root it in things that they see as familiar.

So use your story to talk about climate change. Think about sharing when
you first became concerned about climate change, or why you took action.^3
Sharing this will help you connect deeply with whoever you are talking
with.

4. Give them hope and turn fear into solidarity and action.

If you’ve had some successful conversations, great! Now is the time to
offer hope. Remind the person you are talking with about the victories
that are possible when we come together.

This IPCC report proves the cause of the problem: fossil fuels did this.
But there is also good news: we know precisely how to reclaim our futures
from the fossil fuel industry: by pushing financial institutions to cut
off funding, and closing the doors for Big Oil.

Take the Fossil Free Federal Reserve campaign, for example: because of the
strength of our grassroots movement, we’ve been able to push President
Biden to nominate climate leaders to the Federal Reserve. Now, we have the
chance to push the Fed to hold the worst contributors and funders of the
climate crisis accountable. </p

Try to get them to commit to a follow-up action. Let them know they can
get involved t by joining our movement, or you could offer to take them to
an event near you.

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Once you have your conversations, we want to hear how they go. [ [link removed] ]If you
can, please take a moment to complete our quick survey and let us know
which of these strategies you found helpful. We read every single response
we receive.

[ [link removed] ]Share your results »

Thanks for stepping up to discuss the recent climate news. Together, this
is how we build a fair, sustainable, fossil-free future.

Onwards,

Ellie for the 350.org team

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1 - [ [link removed] ]Yale Climate Connections
2 - [ [link removed] ]The New York Times
3 - [ [link removed] ]Climate Outreach


 




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