Where is the Climate Leadership?

Communication is everything if you want to change the world and trust in those who tell the story is key.

The extent of lifestyle changes and potential costs to individuals, businesses and society at large in response to Climate Change is massive and prolonged and so it is even more important to get this right. Baroness Kate Parminter, who spent her life working across comms and PR in the charity sector, now chairs the Environment and Climate Change Committee in the House of Lords and joined us to discuss the role of Government in behaviour change.

We discussed how impactful the Public Information films of the 1970s and 1980s have been – Vikki is still terrified by electricity pylons and would rush under a table when hearing an emergency siren – and whether we need to have a system of rewards or sanctions to really influence society.

Inevitably, the impact of trusted voices like David Attenborough and whether politicians are the right people to lead this work is considered in this fascinating interview.

This episode was filmed just after two local councils were criticised for felling trees to improve transport issues, and the irony of how this affects belief in civic leaders is also discussed during our Heroes and Hypocrites feature.