“Using Worldviews to Inspire and Scale Climate Action” (UWISCA) is a three-year research project funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of its 2021-2030 research programme. The project’s overall theme is to apply a worldview lens to climate communications to assist with the design of messages to resonate with and amplify the psychological and emotional drivers that influence people’s motivation to engage and take action on climate change. It builds on the EPA’s own ongoing research on public attitudes and behaviour relating to climate change in Ireland as part of its Climate Change in the Irish Mind (CCIM) project (EPA, 2021-2024).
Research demonstrates that traditional reliance on information-based climate communications has been insufficient for changing behaviour or boosting engagement on climate change and that inner dimensions such as worldviews, values and beliefs can significantly influence approaches to climate change risk assessment, mitigation and adaptation (Burch et al., 2014; Suldovsky et al. 2017; Pender, 2023). This literature review draws together over 400 sources of key research literature on the role that these inner dimensions play in human understanding and action in relation to climate change and how this can be applied to the design of climate communications. The individual sources are available via the project website at www.climateworldviews.com and have been compiled under the following five headings:
The challenge of communicating climate change
The theory and practice of climate change communication has progressed from a focus up to the early 2000s on information provision to a more recent recognition of the need to understand the different ways in which people comprehend and respond to the issue and the deeper reasons for these differences. This has been accompanied by the development and use of tools such as narratives and framing, along with growing expertise in addressing trust, scepticism and denial issues. However, communicating climate change still faces key challenges, most notably in relation to designing communications that can close the gap between awareness and action and generate greater agency and engagement among different groups and audiences.
Climate communication in the Irish context
While data on public awareness, support and engagement relating to climate change in Ireland has historically been inconsistent , recently there is a positive trend towards increasing support for action, and more reliable data is likely to be available through EPA’s CCIM initiative. In Ireland, while awareness of climate change is currently high among the public (EPA, 2024a, 2024b), this has not necessarily translated into individual climate action (Government of Ireland, 2022) – i.e., there is a ‘say-do’ gap. The potential to design more effective climate engagement communications and build on the regular insights provided by initiatives such as the EPA’s Climate In the Irish Mind is promising; however, given the persistence of the awareness-action gap, indications are that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to climate communications may be insufficient, and require more tailored messages designed to appeal to different audiences.
Worldview theory and climate communication
Various models and frameworks have sought to explain differences in people’s understanding and behaviour in relation to environmental issues. The concept of worldviews can provide insight on the ways that we understand climate change and why and how we respond to it – for example, whether our responses are shaped by a short or longer-term perspective and what values and rationales may be driving our choices. The UWISCA project employs a model of worldview typologies known as the Integrative Worldview Framework (De Witt et al., 2016), which distinguishes four major categories of worldviews present in contemporary Western populations: Traditional, Modern, Postmodern and Integrative. Initial research to date has found significantly more concern about climate change and more political support for addressing it, as well as more sustainable behaviours, among postmodern and integrative worldviews, compared with modern and traditional worldviews. In the Irish context, there is some suggestion of this in relation to the “Four Irelands” identified as part of the EPA’s CCIM initiative, where the categories of “Alarmed”, “Concerned”, “Cautious” and “Doubtful” show differing levels of support for climate change policy and action. However, there is also scope to ‘translate’ key climate messages in a way that will resonate with the values prioritised by each worldview and help to address resistance to climate action.
Social and cultural values in climate communication
People use values to help them assess the potential implications of policies, behaviour changes or other actions on their lives and choices and tend to filter information according to whether it fits their values or not. Research indicates the importance of identifying the key values of specific audiences for climate change messages and the need to ensure that message content connects with these values to enhance their effectiveness. This aligns with other research indicating that communications which are perceived by an audience to be more personally relevant are more likely to be persuasive, as one’s motivation to engage with the message is increased – for example, research has shown that reframing climate change and conservation messages as reflecting values of patriotism, obedience to authority, etc., increased support among more conservative groups. In addition, people’s attachment to place and aspects of their local / national identity can both constrain and enable support for pro-environmental communications.
Best practice for worldviews-informed climate communication
Selected examples of best practice insights from the research literature on climate communications relating to worldviews were highlighted in this review, including: Sippel et al.’s (2022) ten key principles on how to communicate climate change for effective public engagement; Morgan and Fischoff’s (2023) five-step ‘mental models’ approach to developing climate adaptation and risk communications; Markowitz and Sweetland’s (2018) guidance on the the ‘side door’ approach to overcoming polarisation and echo chambers in climate communications; Moser’s (2014) guidance on communicating climate adaptation; various values-based research guidance, including the Sustain Wales sustainability communications initiative; and research on how to deal with emotions and the ‘climate shadow’ for more effective engagement. Selected examples of climate-change and environmental advertisements and other communications were also identified in which elements of worldviews and values could be discerned. These give some insight on how the UWISCA project’s research might be utilised in the design of communications that will resonate with different audiences by linking the message to the particular values of each worldview.
Effectively communicating the need for people to engage in climate action is essential to successfully close the ‘attitude-action’ gap. As outlined in this report, relying solely on the provision of evidence and information about the issue of climate change is insufficient to generate such engagement. Critically, we need to recognise the different ways in which people understand and respond to climate change and the different assumptions and beliefs they bring to these perspectives. In this regard, this literature review provides a novel compilation of research linking climate communications and worldviews, both in the Irish context and more widely. It should provide a useful starting point for those interested in improving the design of climate communications for public engagement and also serve as a basis for further research in the area.
Research demonstrates that traditional reliance on information-based climate communications has been insufficient for changing behaviour or boosting engagement on climate change and that inner dimensions such as worldviews, values and beliefs can significantly influence approaches to climate change risk assessment, mitigation and adaptation (Burch et al., 2014; Suldovsky et al. 2017; Pender, 2023). This literature review draws together over 400 sources of key research literature on the role that these inner dimensions play in human understanding and action in relation to climate change and how this can be applied to the design of climate communications. The individual sources are available via the project website at www.climateworldviews.com and have been compiled under the following five headings:
- The challenge of communicating climate change
- Climate communication in the Irish context
- Worldview theory and climate communication
- Cultural and social values in climate communication
- Best practice for worldviews-informed climate communication.
The challenge of communicating climate change
The theory and practice of climate change communication has progressed from a focus up to the early 2000s on information provision to a more recent recognition of the need to understand the different ways in which people comprehend and respond to the issue and the deeper reasons for these differences. This has been accompanied by the development and use of tools such as narratives and framing, along with growing expertise in addressing trust, scepticism and denial issues. However, communicating climate change still faces key challenges, most notably in relation to designing communications that can close the gap between awareness and action and generate greater agency and engagement among different groups and audiences.
Climate communication in the Irish context
While data on public awareness, support and engagement relating to climate change in Ireland has historically been inconsistent , recently there is a positive trend towards increasing support for action, and more reliable data is likely to be available through EPA’s CCIM initiative. In Ireland, while awareness of climate change is currently high among the public (EPA, 2024a, 2024b), this has not necessarily translated into individual climate action (Government of Ireland, 2022) – i.e., there is a ‘say-do’ gap. The potential to design more effective climate engagement communications and build on the regular insights provided by initiatives such as the EPA’s Climate In the Irish Mind is promising; however, given the persistence of the awareness-action gap, indications are that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to climate communications may be insufficient, and require more tailored messages designed to appeal to different audiences.
Worldview theory and climate communication
Various models and frameworks have sought to explain differences in people’s understanding and behaviour in relation to environmental issues. The concept of worldviews can provide insight on the ways that we understand climate change and why and how we respond to it – for example, whether our responses are shaped by a short or longer-term perspective and what values and rationales may be driving our choices. The UWISCA project employs a model of worldview typologies known as the Integrative Worldview Framework (De Witt et al., 2016), which distinguishes four major categories of worldviews present in contemporary Western populations: Traditional, Modern, Postmodern and Integrative. Initial research to date has found significantly more concern about climate change and more political support for addressing it, as well as more sustainable behaviours, among postmodern and integrative worldviews, compared with modern and traditional worldviews. In the Irish context, there is some suggestion of this in relation to the “Four Irelands” identified as part of the EPA’s CCIM initiative, where the categories of “Alarmed”, “Concerned”, “Cautious” and “Doubtful” show differing levels of support for climate change policy and action. However, there is also scope to ‘translate’ key climate messages in a way that will resonate with the values prioritised by each worldview and help to address resistance to climate action.
Social and cultural values in climate communication
People use values to help them assess the potential implications of policies, behaviour changes or other actions on their lives and choices and tend to filter information according to whether it fits their values or not. Research indicates the importance of identifying the key values of specific audiences for climate change messages and the need to ensure that message content connects with these values to enhance their effectiveness. This aligns with other research indicating that communications which are perceived by an audience to be more personally relevant are more likely to be persuasive, as one’s motivation to engage with the message is increased – for example, research has shown that reframing climate change and conservation messages as reflecting values of patriotism, obedience to authority, etc., increased support among more conservative groups. In addition, people’s attachment to place and aspects of their local / national identity can both constrain and enable support for pro-environmental communications.
Best practice for worldviews-informed climate communication
Selected examples of best practice insights from the research literature on climate communications relating to worldviews were highlighted in this review, including: Sippel et al.’s (2022) ten key principles on how to communicate climate change for effective public engagement; Morgan and Fischoff’s (2023) five-step ‘mental models’ approach to developing climate adaptation and risk communications; Markowitz and Sweetland’s (2018) guidance on the the ‘side door’ approach to overcoming polarisation and echo chambers in climate communications; Moser’s (2014) guidance on communicating climate adaptation; various values-based research guidance, including the Sustain Wales sustainability communications initiative; and research on how to deal with emotions and the ‘climate shadow’ for more effective engagement. Selected examples of climate-change and environmental advertisements and other communications were also identified in which elements of worldviews and values could be discerned. These give some insight on how the UWISCA project’s research might be utilised in the design of communications that will resonate with different audiences by linking the message to the particular values of each worldview.
Effectively communicating the need for people to engage in climate action is essential to successfully close the ‘attitude-action’ gap. As outlined in this report, relying solely on the provision of evidence and information about the issue of climate change is insufficient to generate such engagement. Critically, we need to recognise the different ways in which people understand and respond to climate change and the different assumptions and beliefs they bring to these perspectives. In this regard, this literature review provides a novel compilation of research linking climate communications and worldviews, both in the Irish context and more widely. It should provide a useful starting point for those interested in improving the design of climate communications for public engagement and also serve as a basis for further research in the area.
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