Queensland Climate Movement

This workshop was focused on outreach and engagement practices of the movement, and considered the question: how can we engage more people in our communities in meaningful action on climate change?

Participants in the workshop considered the barriers to a more broad-based movement. For each of the identified barriers, a suite of potential movement-building solutions were developed.

Barriers to Effective Outreach

We need a mass movement on climate action with urgency. Why isn’t this happening?

• The climate crisis is too big and overwhelming to face
• We have focused on providing information, which does not necessarily lead to behavioural change
• Concerned people are often isolated and can feel overwhelmed when not part of a larger movement
• Economy consistently takes centre stage
• We do not really know our audience, or potentially even what audiences we need to reach
• Good campaigns are happening right across the state, but aren’t getting the publicity
• Have ‘we’ really ‘got it’? Do our lives model the changes we advocate?
• Media neglect of the climate crisis

Overcoming barriers to effective outreach

• Start with a sustainability focus
• Understand the psychology of change
• Form groups to educate and support
• Develop messages and messaging that appeals to the hip-pocket
• Understand the opportunities provided by the economic downturn
• Use language that suits the needs, interests and values of the target audiences
• Recognise the capacity of existing groups in community engagement (ie. local government)
• Identify our target audiences and their key interests and needs (unions, churches, industry, community)
• Be so bold and radical in our actions that the media can no longer ignore the issue
• Provide support and mutual ‘report ins’ for campaigners to assess how we are managing the change in our own lives
• Devise new media strategies that will make climate reporting commensurate with financial reporting

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