Five Ways Climate Campaigners Can Keep Winning When the Political Context Is Against You: Lessons From Purpose Poland

When a progressive coalition government, led by Donald Tusk, was announced in Poland in late 2023, it sparked enthusiasm and relief from climate campaigners. This shift, including renewed focus on environmental and climate-related policies, was a welcome change from the previous right-leaning trends.

Achieving positive environmental change, when the ruling political party is not prioritizing the real impact climate change has was not easy, but it was possible. With a fresh wave of far-right governments in Europe and the need for climate action only escalating, it is more important than ever that campaigners remain focused on success even when the political winds are against you.

Here are five winning strategies we’ve uncovered through our work to help others create impact:

1. Create an ecosystem to fight propaganda

Our pioneering work to counter mis- and disinformation in Poland was a response to the influence of misleading messaging from the state. Far from being impartial, TV and radio news increasingly became partisan mouthpieces for the government. Online, conspiracy theories began to spread.

To create change we considered who was best positioned to stop misinformation from spreading and developed an extensive ecosystem map of potential partners and influential voices. By engaging fact-checking organizations, journalists, influencers, and even politicians themselves, we built an ecosystem to identify misinformation working to prevent further spread online and in the media.

2. Craft messaging that speaks to local lived realities

The issue of climate change and a just transition away from fossil fuels was difficult to broach in coal-producing Silesia. 

The creation of an online series with local actors connected to hearts and minds through narrative around the impact of coal phaseout designed to resonate with people in the region.

‘Mamy Sprawę’ (Here’s the Thing) tells the story of one family among many in post-mining communities. The show helped people see the potential of a just transition for the youth. The lineage of every family rests on an origin story that lends significance to their struggles and sacrifices in service of a better life for future generations. Narratives about just transition or fossil fuel phaseout that fail to recognize that can feel callous to not just a community’s material needs but also their familial cohesion as well. The story presented the fate of the younger generation, on the eve of their adult life and career choice, while honoring the history of older people who have devoted their entire lives to mining and have a special relationship with the Silesian tradition.

3. Don’t ignore rural communities

A rise in right-wing populism can in part be attributed to rural communities losing out to globalization. In the US, Trump converted rural discontent into votes, a significant factor in his election. We see this replicated across multiple territories, including Poland. Despite the trend, climate campaigns continue to focus on urban populations, leaving rural areas more susceptible to disruptive narratives.

Our work in Poland contrasted with cynical narratives that were shifting public discourse. Purpose sought to engage rural communities directly, elevating the voices of female leaders and members of Rural Housewives’ Clubs. Through workshops, storytelling, portraits, exhibitions, and an unmissable building-sized mural, we highlighted the lived experiences of rural women, women who are seeing the impact of climate change in real time. This approach allowed us to create space for rural perspectives in the broader conversation on climate action, while fostering trust and engagement.

4. Build on what we all have in common

Right or left, rural or urban, Poland has strong Catholic ties so it made sense to speak to Polish audiences in a way that connected to their faith. While progressive Catholics across the world welcomed the election of Pope Francis, Poles are still enormously proud of the Polish-born Pope John Paul II. We therefore focused our efforts on connecting his legacy on climate and environmental concerns with the writing of Pope Francis’ specifically his letter ‘encyclical Laudato Si’. Our collaboration with Catholic organizations created a strong coalition of advocates within the conservative Polish Catholic church.

Our work in the run up to COP24 in Katowice sought to mobilize the Catholic community uniting the Catholic Church and COP Presidency. The resulting meeting between the COP President and Pope Francis further solidified our mission. Purpose helped the COP24 Polish Secretariat succeed by encouraging Polish politicians to adopt Catholic ecological language when discussing climate change and air quality policies.

The result? The creation of a new organization, the Laudato Si Movement Poland, which continues to inspire Catholics in the pew, in the pulpit, and at every level of the Church to speak up and act on climate.

5. Find decision makers you can work with

Despite the differing political views throughout the nation, we were able to connect leaders of climate advocacy and create change on a government level. 

Our LeadAIR project empowered local municipal leaders to understand and act on chronic air quality issues. We contributed to the passing of anti-smog legislation in Zakopane and resolutions in Lower Silesia and Mazovia. In the context of the 2022 energy crisis, we worked with the municipality of a different and smaller city, Włocławek, to show how citizens can be best supported through difficult times, and shared that knowledge through a nationwide network of city leaders.

There are opportunities to advance action on climate even when it seems as if the headwinds are too strong. In nine years of experimentation, iteration and acceleration, the climate movement is in a strong position to take advantage of the decisive political shift in Poland. Our work in Poland shows activists across the world to keep driving change when the going gets tough. Take our word for it: it happens slowly at first, then all at once. And it is worth it.

Find out more about Purpose Climate Lab and the work we do across the world to create lasting impactive change here.