Time to Signal *Strong Support* In Advance To Inspire New Climate Influencers

As I’ve written before, new communications research (by Potential Energy Coalition ) has done the job of identifying THE big, overarching message that works with the broadest range of audiences:  Later Is Too Late.

Remember the equation we are working with:

M(essage) X D(elivery) = I(mpact)

To now take that message and achieve the greatest impact possible, we must dive deep on the delivery mechanisms: the storytellers, the influencers, the types of content, and so on. 

Time is of the essence, to put it mildly.

So, I took note of a few key points made by climate media experts in the recent Covering Climate webinar on The Climate Story 2024. (Definitely check out the video recording when you can.) Something Mustafa Santiago Ali shared really resonated with my influence-focused mind. (this is my paraphrase): stories centering environmental justice topics and youth, or featuring athletes/influencers, hold a lot of impact potential. 

To tie it back to the M X D = I equation:

Environmental justice themes as DELIVERY mechanism.

Youth - about them and with them as the storytellers - as a DELIVERY mechanism.

Athletes/Cultural Influencers as a *BIG* untapped DELIVERY mechanism. 

Needless to say, in calling myself a climate influence “scout”, I want to emphasize the Athletes/Cultural Influencers point. These names have perhaps tightly niched, but usually fanatical, audiences. When they say or reflect a climate value, their followers will take note!

Untapped Climate Influence Potential

It’s what I’ve been arguing and advising around for years in the corporate and political spaces: for those who can become bold enough to be a bit more visible, there is a lot of climate influence potential. (You know where to find me, to help catalyze your boldness, when you are ready.)

No matter how niche some tech CEO’s platform may be, his (just picking the likely gender, here) presence in being seen living his values can really start to shift the thinking of his “aspirants.” And, for local political leader examples:  I did six episodes of my Living Change climate leadership podcast with incredible mayors, city council, and assembly members,…) who make a point of being seen riding a bike or ebike for local transportation. They choose to be seen living their values as part of telling their own leadership story.