Connecting on Climate: Communications to Build Political Will Climate and Health Summit Washington, DC September 20, 2015 Meighen Speiser

Who to Engage on Climate How to Open and Hold the Conversation 2

How NOT to be THIS Guy 3

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5 WHO to Engage Your PEERS Patients and Public Local and National Policymakers (This is you)

6 Collaborate for Leverage and Scale

MomentUs 7  lead by example  engage others  institutional leadership  collective impact

8 THE 13 STEPS 1.Start with people, stay with people 2.Connect on common values 3.Acknowledge ambivalence 4.Scale from personal to planet 5.Sequence matters 6.Use facts, not “science” 7.Inspire and empower 8.Be solutions-focused 9.Describe, don’t label 10.Have at least 1 powerful fact from a trusted messenger 11.Prepare don’t adapt 12.Speak from the mountaintops, don’t fight in the trenches 13.Message discipline is critical

Start with people, stay with people 1 9 Do your homework Open with your audience, refer to them often Connect on common values 2 Celebrate their common values Connect your to theirs Show your humanity

Broadly Resonant American Values Exceptionalism, compassion We can all make small steps to make the world better (94%) People can be the solution (90%) Compassion for those who are suffering (86%) Personal rights to clean environment for all Clean drinking water (84%) Clean air (83%) Safe neighborhood, free of toxics (79%) Access to natural spaces, parks (75%) Responsibility to do something about climate Companies that pollute (81%) EPA (78%) Me (75%) 10

11 Family, Community

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Acknowledge ambivalence 13 Acknowledge that people have many priorities, demands Talk about your experience, connect with their’s Tell a conversion story 3

I Shop, therefore I am

: 10,885 Peer Reviewed Articles Only 2 reject man made climate change Concern about climate change can be alienating, elite

Scale from personal to planet 16 Easy on the impacts! 4 Inspire and empower 5 1 powerful fact from a trusted messenger 6 Focus on solutions Sell the benefits Preparedness motivates

17 Focus on facts, mind “science” 7 Describe, don’t label 8 Focus on what people can see with their own eyes People think “science” can be challenged Avoid jargon, trigger words

Message discipline is critical 9 18 Simple messages Repeated often Your communications, collaborations, sector

You don’t have to be THIS Guy 19

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THANK YOU! 21