Messaging Guide: Mobilizing Towards Climate Justice

Despite escalating disasters and unequal consequences of the climate catastrophe, too few Americans list “climate change” as a top concern, with many feeling powerless to create change. To combat this lack of agency and urgency, we must name the villains who are responsible for these disasters – Big Oil, fossil fuel CEOs, and the politicians they buy – and link this fight to past successes that were achieved because of collective action. As advocates who organize for climate justice, we must offer up a clear, compelling picture of the clean energy future enticing enough to animate Americans to act to achieve it.

By effectively telling this story, we can mobilize people to take action for a future fueled by energy that’s not just clean, but in our hands, and build support for solutions that benefit people of color among communities most impacted by the climate crisis. Our shared experiences of climate disasters offer moments of heightened public awareness where we can further shine the light on who is really responsible: wealthy corporations and the politicians they buy.