Emma James

THE Tribune and Camden New Journal today (Friday) present our annual green special – cram-packed with stories and features on the most important subject there is.

Our newspapers cover the climate emergency nearly every week, but here is a chance for us to go a little more in depth to discuss the challenges that we collectively face and the ideas out there to tackle them.

You will read about growing your own food, retrofitting homes and combatting toxic smoke pollution, as well as personal stories from a scientist who gave up meat and the pensioner who broke the case of the Magna Carta to raise awareness about climate change.

The Tribune’s commitment to covering the environment comes as research shows that local newspapers can be the strongest way to get the message out.

Regardless of their political leanings or demographic, most people in Britain are worried about climate change, research by public engagement charity Climate Outreach shows.

But it also reveals that the way we speak about it – and who delivers the message – makes
a big dif­ference to whether people listen.

Local climate stories are now being held up as among the best way of engaging with hard-to-reach groups.

“Resonating with people’s values is what really works when it comes to communicating about climate change,” said Emma James, who leads a research project for the charity exploring attitudes to global warming across seven different population segments, from “Progressive Activists” to “Loyal Nationals”.

She added: “We need to be meeting people where they are. So how can we talk about climate action in a way that connects it to their values and what they care about?”

The segments vary on their strength of feeling about climate change, trust in government to lead the charge and whether they see it as a global or a local problem.

It is the UK’s largest segment, the Loyal Nationals – who tend to be patriotic, distrustful of politicians and hold populist political views – who are most likely to engage with climate change through local stories, such as a neighbour’s experience of extreme weather or a campaign to clean up a neglected green space.

Ms James said: “They actually have really high concerns about climate change, but they’re unlikely to ever take action that feels political.

“They see climate as a highly localised issue. They’re concerned about the local community, localised inequality, so we know that we can reach them through that local lens.”

Loyal Nationals’ concerns about climate change contrasts with the net-zero scepticism heard from some of the parties they might vote for.

Ms James said: “The messenger is just as important as the message. Often it might be their neighbour or their friends who are the most trusted.”

Local stories are an effective way to engage other population seg­ments too, the research shows, inspiring those who otherwise feel helpless about climate change.

And while different types of stories resonate with different groups, there are themes that cut through to them all: protecting nature and wildlife, reducing waste, preserving the world for future generations and how climate action can lead us to have healthier and happier lives.