STRATEGY MAP

Woman navigates boat - Climate justice - Greenpeace

THE CHALLENGE

We conceived this map as a tool to help connect communities, groups and individuals through storytelling. Language and images have the power to bring people together, to defend their rights in the face of the climate emergency. The story map intends to serve as a flexible, relatable and easy-to-use platform that guides the creation of effective communication and engagement plans for projects across diverse regions and countries, aiming to weave them into a unified global effort.

Every person has the right to a healthy environment and a stable climate. But governments are not doing enough to protect that right from the impacts of climate change, allowing fossil fuel companies to continue to profit from environmental breakdown. States and corporations must be accountable and take responsibility to remedy the harms they have caused.The law is a powerful platform for people to take action. Communities made vulnerable by climate change can create a real environmental, political and social transformation using strategic litigation to demand a better future. Furthermore, the stories from the people already taking action are the key to continue building an international movement from the grassroots.

The different elements of this map provide recommendations, criteria and practical examples to guide practitioners to identify and develop climate justice narratives that resonate with their specific target audiences.

Explore this map and help tell this collective story!

OUR VISION

We build a world where the unimaginable today is the unquestioned wisdom of tomorrow; where fossil fuel production and use is seen as a relic of our past; where governments race to set the most ambitious climate targets; where more people than ever around the world enjoy their basic rights; and where corporate lobbyists have been ousted from the hallways of power.

We see a time coming where the rights of future generations and of communities made vulnerable by climate change are at the centre of concern, driving the decisions that shape their destinies. Where a new notion of progress and peace is based on how those with power stand up for those who have the least, and step back when needed.

We tell and retell the stories of these battles in boardrooms and on the high seas. We point to the billions of people around the world who work with enlightened, engaged and committed business and political leaders to build a future that serves all—and those with the least power first—instead of the few. We can already hear this world of our vision coming to life today. We are writing that story together.

People together - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Women getting off a riverboat - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Protest against climate change - Climate justice - Greenpeace

OUR MESSAGE

The message of climate justice is formed by the stories of courageous community leaders that seek to protect people in the face a major global crisis. We recognize that each person, group and community will express their specific demands to governments and companies in particular ways. Diversity makes this movement strong!

People against climate change - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Climate justice message - Climate justice - Greenpeace

Premises

Decades of rampant greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere have caused the average temperature of the planet to rise, changing the climate and increasing extreme weather disasters. The climate breakdown puts every person’s right to life, health, food, and an adequate standard of living at risk.
The people in situations most vulnerable to climate change are also the ones least responsible for the crisis.
Climate justice means coming together to assert the rights of the people and amplify the voices of the communities in situations most vulnerable to climate change.
A few dozen companies are largely responsible for the pollution that has triggered the current climate crisis and those corporations recklessly concealed the harms of their activity for decades.
Governments have a duty to protect people’s basic rights. They also have a mandate to provide safe and clean energy for people. Their failure to fulfill both it is a call for communities to act.
The climate justice movement is growing by the hour. People today need to share their stories, come together with other communities and use the power of the law to hold corporations and governments accountable. Together, we succeed.
People across the world are holding polluters accountable and taking them to court, demanding they take ambitious actions to change course and responsibility for a crisis driven by burning fossil fuels.

To harness the power of a vast array of stories, we aim to focus on those that show empathy for the experiences of others, put people’s search for justice at the center and provide inspiration for communities under similar circumstances. So, we propose that narratives are formed by messages that reflect values of equity, solidarity, and connection that spark a tone of hope, creativity and joy.

Language association

Some of concepts we use in certain settings might seem distant or convey no meaning at all for people in different regions and using different languages. Diversifying the terms we use can help reduce that bridge.
― Fairness is related to concepts like equity, truth, justice, fairplay, dignity, rights, accountability, integrity and respect to counter deceit, injustice, cheating, corruption, violations, dishonesty and other forms of transgression.
These concepts appeal the most to people we identify as Change Leaders.
― Solidarity is related to concepts like unity, teamwork, community, protection, harmony and support to counter confrontation, disagreement, selfishness, harm, discord and other forms of hostility. These concepts appeal to both Change Leaders and Culture Shapers.
― Connection is related to concepts like trust, affinity, partnership, reciprocity, and cooperation to counter disbelief, hate, isolation, greed, doubt and other forms of separation. These concepts appeal the most to people we identify as Culture Shapers.

OUR AUDIENCES

Our vision to change the way people think about justice and the planet is certainly ambitious. We aim to achieve it by generating deep engagement from those who are in the position of sharing their life stories with others, who can in turn join the movement and then do the same. To start the process of changing mindsets, we are reaching to those among the general public that can be Change Leaders and Culture Makers.

Change Leaders

They are the social innovators, self aware and open-minded. Change Leaders try to live their values, connect with others and the environment around them. These individuals have a high sense of agency, pursue information on what they care about and are intrigued by the unknown. Change Leaders find that life is mostly fun, are forgiving of themselves and most likely to be forgiving of others. However, they look for the right solution and will question assumptions. They need to have lots of variety and ongoing activity in their lives.

What moves them?
― Fairness and ethics
― Novelty and authenticity
― Dialogue and possibility
― Stimulation and connections
― Beauty and nature

Avoid asking them to
― Choose from closed options. They want to contribute ideas.
― Go on the recommendations of others. They want to make up their own minds
― Buy something because it’s bigger, best or better. They like brands that are ethical, authentic or innovative.
― Do anything because it’s always been done this way. They want to innovate and usher in the new.
― Do something just because it is required by authority. They want to get justice.

People together on earth - Climate justice - Greenpeace

MEET
RODRIGO

33 years old, writer living in Mexico City.

Passionate about literature and the other arts; lifting unknown places, people, and issues in Mexican society in a thought-provoking way; and enhancing his storytelling skills. Among his friends, he’s the one who is always up for a bit of adventure and is involved in many networks from news geeks to beer enthusiasts.
He aspires to: create his first novel; travel the world and write about his journeys; and spend more time with his family.

Culture Shapers

They are the gatekeepers to cultural norms, with high energy and wonderful social skills. Culture Shapers have a hunger for life, being confident and generally positive. They are success-oriented and want to see the results of their contributions.

Culture Shapers also have a high sense of agency and aim to discern what’s cool. These individuals tend to be active social media users and wield influence over their social circles. They want to direct their own paths in life.

What moves them?
― Achievement and recognition
― Optimism and visibility
― Tangibility and immediacy
― Simplicity and experience
― Trends and social capital

Avoid asking them to
― Do anything old-fashioned, traditional or by-the-book.
― Actually break the rules.
― Give things up, unless they get something better.
― Do things primarily for others without social reward.
― Do anything just because it’s ethical or ideal.
― Lead or engage in debate or controversy.
― Embrace open ended problems. They want the right, successful answer.

Culture shapers - Climate justice - Greenpeace

MEET
VERONICI

42 years old, digital media strategist and foodie living in Athens.

She’s a mom and yoga aficionado. Among her friends, she’s the one who gives the most thoughtful handmade gifts and was the first on Instagram.
She aspires to: empower women and youth; bring a more people-centered approach to social media initiatives that can otherwise be alienating; and meet and learn from other social media, journalists and communications experts she admires.

OUR PRINCIPLES

The story of climate justice is formed by multiple individual ones and has a diversity of voices in turn. Effectively, that means integrating those stories while recognizing each one comes from a different person and honoring the right to tell it in their own voice. In particular from those communities that are often left at the margins of the conversations and remain in the most vulnerable situations. We put forward a set of principles to provide practitioners with guidelines to operate under this open source approach.

Honour the source

Personal stories are part of who we are as individuals. Treat each story as you would do to a fellow human. Get permission to the source, identify the storyteller and show your appreciation for what they are sharing with you. Think about the way you would like others to amplify the story if it was your own, private experience.

Express your support without appropriation!

Fictional tweet examples
Honor the source do - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Honor the source dont - Climate justice - Greenpeace

Stay human

Use language that you would actually speak with. Jargon could create a sense of identity for insiders, but it can also widen the gap between you and the people you might want to reach. Also, nobody really enjoys talking to a machine or being lectured. So, try to keep it conversational according to your audience.

Be technical when you have to, but keep it to yourself if on Twitter!

Fictional tweet examples
Stay human do - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Stay human dont - Climate justice - Greenpeace

Focus on people

The power of stories relies on empathy and our ability to create meaningful rapport with our audience. If someone has decided to devote time to you that means they are open to learn what you have to express.

Think first, why would this person care about what I have to say?

Fictional tweet examples
Focus on people do - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Focus on people dont - Climate justice - Greenpeace

Call to action

Storytelling implies learning from the actions of others. Remember that moral at the end of a fable? We must take it to the next step and actually bring people to act based on the stories we are telling.

Offer a meaningful opportunity for people to engage!

Fictional tweet examples
Call to action do - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Call to action dont - Climate justice - Greenpeace

Own your words

Are you the source? Then it is extremely important that others recognize who is behind a particular idea, action or experience. If you are communicating on behalf of others, like an organization, then make sure you are following its guidelines and making the right attribution.

Honor yourself and those you might represent!

Fictional tweet examples
Own your words do - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Own your words dont - Climate justice - Greenpeace

Complete the circle

Make sure that your message stands on its own — or at least provides options for others to find out more! The limits of social media offer the opportunity for brevity and are in no way excuse for an incomplete idea, a boring post or a potentially misleading message. Your words must be enough to express what you need, or you might want to consider a different format, platform or simply break down that long sentence.

Your words must be enough to express what you need, or you might want to consider a different format, platform or simply break down that long sentence.

Fictional tweet examples
Complete the circle do - Climate justice - Greenpeace
Complete the circle dont - Climate justice - Greenpeace