The effects of a changing climate are increasingly visible in our daily lives. Yet, in many public discussions, whether in government halls or business boardrooms, people are shying away from saying the word “climate.” This makes it more difficult to build support for solutions since people won’t see how climate is an everyday issue if we aren’t talking about it every day. Some worry that people aren’t interested, that the issue is too political, or that raising the issue may not resonate. But often the challenge isn’t the topic itself, it’s how we talk about it. 

To connect more effectively, we need to shift the narrative: making it concrete rather than abstract, personal rather than distant, local as well as global, and rooted in real impacts on our families, communities, and economies. In this session live from Climate Week NYC, we will explore the dangers of climate hushing, empower leaders and organizations to speak up, and equip audiences to communicate about climate in ways that truly engage and inspire action. 

The session aims to answer: 

• What is driving the increase in climate hushing  

• What does the data say about whether you should say the word “climate?" 

• How to make climate a winning issue and boost public demand for climate solutions 

This session is hosted by the Potential Energy Coalition. 

Speakers:  

• John Marshall, CEO and Founder, Potential Energy Coalition

• María Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business Coalition 

• Mindy Lubber, CEO and President, Ceres 

• Catherine McKenna, CEO, Climate and Nature Solutions 

Moderated by Chase Cain, Meteorologist and Climate Reporter, NBC News