The role of emotion in climate change communication – Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Report on the Efficacy of Emotional Content in Climate Change Communication and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

A study published in the journal Environmental Communication investigated the role of emotion in climate change communication, providing critical insights for strategies aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

Research Methodology

Study Design

To isolate the effects of emotional content from emotional delivery, a study was designed with a sample size of 3,463 participants. The methodology involved a multi-step process to create distinct message conditions:

1. A script detailing the impacts of climate change on extreme weather was developed based on strictly factual, non-emotional information to serve as a neutral baseline.
2. The script was edited to create two additional versions: one with semi-emotional content and another with highly emotional content, while retaining the core factual information.
3. A professional voice actor recorded each of the three scripts in two distinct tones: a neutral delivery and an emotional delivery.
4. This process resulted in six experimental message conditions, which were tested against a control message concerning a non-climate-related topic.

Key Findings and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Primary Finding: The Primacy of Factual Information

• All six experimental messages significantly increased participants’ understanding that climate change impacts extreme weather when compared to the control group.
• Crucially, there were no statistically significant differences in the effectiveness of the messages. The impact on audience understanding was consistent regardless of the level of emotional content in the script or the emotional tone of the delivery.
• This outcome suggests that the factual information presented was the primary factor driving the increase in comprehension, a key component for advancing public engagement with the SDGs.

Impact on SDG 13: Climate Action

• The study’s results underscore that clear, evidence-based communication is a powerful tool for building the public understanding necessary to support and demand urgent climate action as outlined in SDG 13.
• For complex issues such as the link between climate change and extreme weather, providing accessible factual information may be more critical than emotional appeals in fostering a baseline of knowledge required for meaningful engagement and policy support.

Relevance to SDG 4: Quality Education

• These findings directly support Target 4.7 of SDG 4, which calls for ensuring all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.
• The demonstrated effectiveness of fact-based messaging provides a clear pathway for educational and public awareness campaigns to enhance climate literacy, thereby empowering individuals to contribute to sustainable solutions.

Demographic Consistency and Broader SDG Implications

• The persuasive effect of the factual messages was consistent across various demographic and psychographic segments, including political affiliation, personal experience with extreme weather, and pre-existing beliefs about climate change.
• This universal effectiveness suggests that fact-based communication can serve as a unifying foundation for dialogue, contributing to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by fostering a shared understanding of climate risks.
• Furthermore, enhancing public knowledge about climate impacts is vital for building resilient communities, directly supporting the objectives of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Conclusion and Recommendations

The research concludes that for the specific topic of climate change’s effect on extreme weather, factual content was the most significant element in enhancing public understanding. The emotional content and delivery of the messages played a minimal role in their overall impact.

Limitations and Context

• It is important to recognize that these findings are specific to the context of this study. They do not invalidate the role of emotion in other forms of climate communication.
• Prior research has confirmed that emotions can be significant drivers of engagement and action in different contexts.

Future Directions for SDG-Aligned Communication

• To accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, it is recommended that communication strategies be evidence-based.
• Future research should continue to explore the optimal balance of factual and emotional messaging for different climate topics and audiences to most effectively mobilize action in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The article is centered on climate change, specifically focusing on communicating its impacts. The research described investigates how to effectively inform the public about the connection between climate change and extreme weather events. This directly aligns with the overarching goal of SDG 13, which is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The study’s primary objective is to determine the best way to increase public knowledge and understanding of a complex scientific issue. By testing different communication methods to see which best “increased people’s understanding that climate change is impacting extreme weather,” the article addresses the core principles of education for sustainable development, a key component of SDG 4.

Specific SDG Targets

Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

• The article directly addresses this target by analyzing a study on “climate change communication.” The research aims to build capacity for more effective communication by testing whether factual information or emotional appeals are more successful in raising public awareness. The finding that “factual information in the messages was the primary factor in increasing people’s understanding” is a direct contribution to knowledge about how to improve education on climate change impact reduction and early warning.

Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development…

• The research described in the article is an effort to understand how to help people acquire knowledge about climate change. The study’s outcome, where messages “significantly increased people’s understanding,” demonstrates a method for delivering education on a critical topic for sustainable development. The experiment itself is a practical application of finding ways to ensure learners acquire this specific knowledge.

Relevant Indicators

Implied Indicators for Target 13.3

• The article does not mention official UN indicators, but it implies a method for measurement. The study measures the **”change in public understanding of the effects of climate change on extreme weather”** as its primary outcome. The figure in the article displays the effect sizes of different messages, quantifying the increase in understanding. This serves as a direct, measurable indicator of the effectiveness of an awareness-raising campaign, which is central to tracking progress on Target 13.3.

Implied Indicators for Target 4.7

• The study’s methodology implies an indicator for measuring the acquisition of knowledge. The researchers measured the **”level of increase in people’s beliefs about the relationship between climate change and extreme weather”** before and after exposure to the messages. This measurement of knowledge acquisition among the 3,463 study participants acts as a proxy indicator for the effectiveness of educational content related to sustainable development.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: climatecommunication.yale.edu