Warm Words How are we telling the climate change s

WarmWordsHowarewetellingtheclimatestoryandcanwetellitbetter?GillEreautandNatSegnitAUGUST2006©ippr2006InstituteforPublicPolicyResearch(ippr)istheUK’sleadingprogressivethinktankandwasestablishedin1988.Itsroleistobridgethepoliticaldividebetweenthesocialdemocraticandliberaltraditions,theintellectualdividebetweenacademiaandthepolicymakingestablishmentandtheculturaldividebetweengovernmentandcivilsociety.Itisfirstandforemostaresearchinstitute,aimingtoprovideinnovativeandcrediblepolicysolutions.Itswork,thequestionsitsresearchposes,andthemethodsitusesaredrivenbythebeliefthatthejourneytoagoodsocietyisonethatplacessocialjustice,democraticparticipation,economicandenvironmentalsustainabilityatitscore.ThispaperwasfirstpublishedinAugust2006.©ippr200630-32SouthamptonStreet,LondonWC2E7RATel:02074706100Fax:[phone]:‘linguisticrepertoires’............................12Alarmism..............................................................13Settlerdom.............................................................14Britishcomicnihilism...................................................15Rhetoricalscepticism....................................................15Freemarketprotection...................................................16‘Expert’denial..........................................................17Warmingisgood........................................................17Techno-optimism........................................................18DavidandGoliath.......................................................19Smallactions...........................................................203.Wheretherepertoiresarefound..........................................224.Whichrepertoiresaredominantormarginal?...............................245.Conclusion:persuasiveclimate-changecommunications.....................25References..............................................................29Sourcesofquotesindiagrams.............................................29WarmWords:Howarewetellingtheclimatechangestoryandcanwetellitbetter?ippr3AbouttheauthorsGillEreautisprincipalofLinguisticLandscapes*.ShebeganhercareerinmarketresearchwithUnileverandsubsequentlyspentmorethan20yearsasaqualitativeresearchpractitioner.Increasinglyconvincedofthecriticalroleoflanguageforbusinessesandbrands,shepioneeredthecommercialapplicationofdiscourseanalysis,establishingLinguisticLandscapesin2002.Thisconsultancycombinestechniquesoflinguisticanddiscourseanalysiswithcommercialexpertisetoaddressmarketing,communicationsandorganisationalproblems.GillisaFellowoftheMarketResearchSociety.NatSegnitisanovelist,scriptwriterandjournalist.Asafreelancetextualanalyst,hehasextensiveexperienceworkingwithspecialistcommercialresearchorganisations,includingSemioticSolutionsandLinguisticLandscapes.*(SemioticsforBrands),VirginiaValentine(SemioticSolutions)andPatDade(CulturalDynamics)andaregratefultoallthesecolleagues.WearealsogratefultoGraemeTrayner(Brunswick)forfacilitatingthecollaborationbetweenipprandLinguisticLandscapes.WewouldliketothankXtremeInformationforprovidingadvertisingmaterialfreeofcharge,andtheBBCforloanoftelevisionmaterial.Andwewouldliketothankthefundersofippr’spublicengagementprojectonclimatechange,theEnergySavingTrust,thePilkingtonEnergyEfficiencyTrustandRWEnpower,aswellasthecorefundersofippr’sLowCarbonProgramme:ShellInternational,theEsméeFairbairnFoundation,CEElectricandtheAshdenTrust.WarmWords:Howarewetellingtheclimatechangestoryandcanwetellitbetter?ippr4PrefaceClimatechangeisoneofthegreatestchallengesfacingmankindthiscentury.Unchecked,noonewillremainimmunefromitsconsequences.Yetweeachcontributetoit.Everytimeweuseelectricityandgasathome,driveacarandgetonanaeroplaneweareemittinggreenhousegasesthatarewarmingtheplanetandchangingourclimate.Ifdangerousclimatechangeistobeavoided,thepublic’scontributiontoitwillneedtobereduceddramatically.ThisreportwascommissionedbytheInstituteforPublicPolicyResearch(ippr)aspartofitsprojectonhowtostimulateclimate-friendlybehaviourintheUK.Puttinginplaceeffectivepoliciestoachievethatisclearlyessential,butsotooistheuseofeffectivecommunications.TodayintheUK,morestakeholders,includingeverytypeofmediaoutlet,theGovernment,environmentalgroupsandcompanies,arediscussingorcommunicatingonclimatechangethaneverbefore.Butwhatimpactarethesestakeholdershaving?Aretheyhelpingorhinderingeffortst