In the SDG Pavilion of COP29‘s Blue Zone in Baku, Purpose and the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UNDGC) convened a timely discussion on « The Trusted Messengers of Climate Storytelling. » Introduced by Isobel Bruce, Global Head of Campaigns at Purpose, the session was skillfully moderated by Katja Iversen of the Museum for the United Nations, UN Live, bringing together voices from across sectors: Eileen O’Connor, Senior Vice President for Communications, Policy, and Advocacy at the Rockefeller Foundation; Dr. Shanta Barley, Chief Climate Scientist at Fortescue and former BBC science journalist; Gustavo Figueiroa, Brazilian climate policy expert and grassroots organizer; and Hening Parlan, national coordinator for Indonesia’s GreenFaith initiative.
Starting with Stories
The panel emphasized that effective climate communication begins with human connection. « A trusted messenger is something that people can really relate to, » emerged as a foundational insight, challenging traditional approaches to climate messaging.
Climate policy expert Gustavo Figueiroa shared how Brazilian grassroots movements succeed by connecting climate action with immediate community priorities: « We need to reach sectors we aren’t reaching, like farmers and business sector leaders. » His work demonstrates that when climate action is framed through local experiences and needs, it resonates more deeply with communities.
« When we put the wildlife in the forefront we see people react more. When we show wildlife suffering, it touches people’s hearts and is a powerful tool for mobilizing, » Figueiroa noted. This shows how people’s connection to nature can bridge the gap between global climate challenges and local action.
The Power of Pop Culture and Diverse Voices
A fascinating tension emerged between scientific expertise on climate and cultural influence. « Many people won’t talk to a biologist, but they’ll listen to a popular soccer player, » the panel noted, highlighting how trusted voices often come from diverse angles and perspectives.
Hening Parlan, National Coordinator for GreenFaith, shared powerful examples from Indonesia’s Islamic environmental movement. « Failure of Islam- a blessing for all, » she reflected, explaining how they translate climate concerns into religious frameworks. The success of initiatives like the « Green Mosque » program demonstrates how faith leaders can become effective climate messengers when environmental stewardship is connected to spiritual values.
Dr. Shanta Barley brought unique insight from her journey from science journalism to corporate leadership. « We had to find an issue nobody was talking about and talk about it in a different way, » she explained, describing their focus on « lethal humidity » and its impacts. This approach shows how technical information can be transformed into compelling narratives that drive action.
Meeting Audiences Where They Are
The discussion tackled the challenge of reaching communities facing economic pressures. « Climate has become politicized in the US, » Eileen O’Connor observed. « We saw recently that the voters voted in economics. We need to talk about the economics of transition, both for jobs and the cost of energy. »
Business leaders emerged as potentially powerful messengers. « Unless you have the CEO or board asking for change, » one panelist noted, discussing how corporate leadership can drive climate action. The panel described a « clubbist mentality at high levels- if one business is doing it, others will follow, » highlighting the ripple effects of business engagement.
For civil society engagement, the panel emphasized the importance of connecting climate action to tangible impacts. « We need to anchor in the reality we are living in, » Figueiroa stressed. « It’s not untouchable anymore, we are feeling the wildfires, the storms. If nothing is done it’s only going to get worse. »
Moving Forward Together
As the session concluded, each speaker offered practical guidance for effective climate communication:
« Everybody can be a trusted messenger for their community- for friends and family. Talk about it, every place is a place to talk about climate change and the environment, » urged Gustavo Figueiroa.
« Everybody is a messenger. Everybody is an activist, » affirmed Hening Parlan.
« When you’re sick of saying it, they are hearing it for the first time, just keep talking, » encouraged Eileen O’Connor.
« Stop being really nice to each other. We need to be ok and be uncomfortable with calling out bad behavior, » challenged Dr. Shanta Barley.
“Trusted messengers are vital to help us counter doomism through communication and dialogue. We can translate data into something we can feel, think, and act upon. We need a sense of a « Global We » said Katja Iversen.
The conversation in Baku highlighted that effective climate communication isn’t about finding a single perfect message or messenger. Instead, it’s about empowering diverse voices to share authentic, locally relevant stories that inspire action. By meeting people where they are – whether through popular culture, faith communities, economic opportunities, or local concerns – we can build the broad-based support needed for meaningful climate action.
We will be continuing to weave these insights into our campaign, The Future Thanks You, which will be launching into its second year in 2025. To find out more about how to partner with Purpose or to learn more, visit purpose.com/contact.
See below for the full panel discussion:
for Equity & Evidence