#128: What’s the story?

On new messages for new audiences

Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!

I recently saw the play Scenes from the Climate Era with other Auckland-based Climate Club volunteers (on at Q Theatre from 2-24 August, check it out!). It was a beautiful theatre experience; I’d recommend it if you enjoyed Don’t Look Up (2021), if “enjoyed” is the right word 😅

I love seeing theatre & the arts tackle climate change. We’re starting to realise that, for better or for worse, storytelling often shapes behaviour more effectively than facts alone.

But if that’s the case, what climate narratives do we live by right now? What guides our thinking around what the future can look like?

Futerra says that our climate messaging so far – “climate change is real, we caused it, the consequences are catastrophic” – has ended up reinforcing a “Frankenstein” type of narrative. Unfortunately, humanity dying at the hands of the monster we’ve created is a pretty grim story. It also ignores the many other possibilities within our grasp: such as a sustainable, fairer, healthier future.

The three more recent stories (middle row) are a step forward from the “we-deserve-it-dystopia”, but they still don’t resonate with everyone. We need different stories to reach different people (bottom row). Source - Futerra

I want to see all kinds of stories about climate change - sad, hopeful, action-packed, traditional, funny, and more. Whether it’s a play, song, book, film, meme, or dinner-table conversation, it’s a new addition to humanity’s odyssey towards a sustainable future.

Seen any good climate stories recently? Share them in the comments!

What can we do today?

The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was our guide to encourage Air NZ to recommit to Science-Based Targets.

This week’s focus: the Second Emissions Reduction Plan

Submissions close soon for NZ’s second Emissions Reduction plan, which experts say “ignores decades of advice, places too much faith in technology that does not exist and will result in higher emissions” (RNZ). This is the time for feedback. If enough of us write in with specific, constructive feedback on how the government’s climate plans can be improved, they are much more likely to take our advice.
Action, due next Wednesday 11:59pm: Submit on the second ERP using one of the following guides.

• 🐝 5 mins:

  • Climate Club’s fast submission guide (general)

  • Don’t Subsidise Pollution’s guide (ending free carbon credits for big polluters)

  • Rewiring Aotearoa’s guide (energy systems & electrification)

• 🐇15 mins: Use submission guides above, but personalise it - this makes it much more effective. You could even pick & choose your favourite points from all three!

• 💃🏽 Bonus: Gather submissions from your community with this guide

• 💃🏽 Bonus: A climate club reader, Chris Hawkins, is organising a submission party at the Main Common Room at Otago University from 4pm onwards on Monday 19th!

💃🏽 30+ minutes: More than your fare share of emissions

• Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, drop-in 5:30pm-8pm Wed 14 Aug: Did you know private jets emit 15 times more than passenger travel, and that private jet usage is still increasing in NZ? 350 Aotearoa, a non-profit campaigning to end fossil fuel use, is running a letter-writing session for their End Private Jets campaign.
  Action: Join 350 Auckland’s postcard-writing session tomorrow at Auckland University (email auckland@350.org.nz for the location!)

• Online, today, 4-5pm: The Free Fares team are looking for volunteers. In the past, their campaign won us half-price public transport fares which encourages a shift towards lower-emissions transport and less congestion, especially in cities. There’s room for everyone in their continuing campaign, in ay capacity!
  Action: Register for Free Fares’ volunteer info hui (FB event here) 

In case you missed it!

• There are lots of climate orgs looking for more volunteers on the climate job board, plus a few specific specific roles going at Bike Auckland like this one for a new Volunteer & Events Manager (paid, 25 hrs/wk)!

• Take the Jump is a global movement promoting high-impact lifestyle change (i.e. not just recycling) with joyful, abundance-focussed messaging. Volunteers from the Nelson Tasman Climate Forum have brought it to Aotearoa, and they are now looking for new ambassadors. The next ambassador training runs 21 Aug – 25 Sep via Zoom (six Wednesday evenings, 7pm - 8:30pm).
  Action: Sign up for the free training

Wins!

• South Africa has passed its first climate change law. It will set caps for large emitters and require every town & city to publish an adaptation plan. It’s “basic architecture”, but it’s a start for the country which currently relies heavily on coal for electricity.

• Brazil’s deforestation of the Amazon has slowed to half the previous year, the lowest level since 2016 based on preliminary figures. This is a steep decline since President Lula da Silva came into power, pledging “deforestation zero” by 2030. It’s a big turnaround from the previous far-right President Bolsonaro’s rule in 2022, when forest loss reached a 15 year high. It shows that voting is a bare minimum lever we can pull when it comes to top-down policy.

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That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy Futerra’s slide deck on climate stories to save the world - we really think it’s worth a read! You’ll start recognising these stories in media everywhere, and can become more conscious of what kinds of stories you’re contributing to.

See you next week, 

Jenny & the Climate Club team

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