The Year We Hit 1.5°C
This past year marked a sobering milestone in the history of our planet. The global climate has now warmed by 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels—the threshold scientists have warned us not to cross to avoid catastrophic climate impacts. Fires, floods, droughts, and heatwaves have become part of our daily reality, reshaping lives and economies worldwide.
And yet, as we head into 2025, a new U.S. administration is taking office, one that has chosen not to fully acknowledge the science or urgency of climate change. This political resistance only deepens the crisis, threatening to unravel progress made and stall global momentum.
A Critical Look at Ourselves
But while it’s easy to point fingers at external barriers, as a climate community, we must also turn the lens inward and acknowledge some of our own failures. One of the most glaring has been communication.
We have been scattered in our messaging, divided in our priorities, and inconsistent in our approach. At the end of the day, we are falling into the same pitfalls that brands and marketers have stumbled into for decades. We assume we know what motivates people. We assume we know how to communicate effectively.
Yet, time and again, the evidence tells a different story. The investment in climate communications—though well-meaning and significant—has neither been sufficient nor yielded the transformative impact we needed.
Over $100 billion is invested annually in climate change initiatives, and more than 80% of people acknowledge it as a critical issue. Yet, despite widespread awareness, current communications are not driving the meaningful action we urgently need. In marketing terms, that’s a dismal return on investment—especially when the future of our planet hangs in the balance. Maximizing the impact of every dollar spent on climate messaging is not just a strategic necessity but an ethical imperative.
This isn’t to diminish the extraordinary efforts of the organizations, donors, and foundations who have poured their resources into this fight. They deserve immense credit. But the truth is clear: We are not getting the return on investment we desperately need.
The Subconscious Challenge
The reason why effective climate communication is so elusive lies in the science of decision-making itself: 90% of all decisions are made in the subconscious mind. Despite this, we remain obsessed with two flawed approaches.
First, we rely on our own assumptions—believing we know what people want, need, and value without ever truly understanding the complex drivers of human behavior.
Second, we cling to traditional tools: surveys, focus groups, and other self-reported methods. These tools mislead us, offering surface-level insights that fail to predict real-world action.
The result? Most climate communication falls into two predictable formulas:
1. The Advocacy Approach
2. The Corporate Approach
These formulas are predictable, uninspired, and often ineffective. Why? Because they fail to connect with the subconscious drivers of motivation.
How Do These Formulas Perform in the Brain?
At Neuro-Insight, our expertise lies in uncovering these subconscious drivers by analyzing brain behavior. We use proprietary brain-mapping technology to measure how people emotionally and viscerally respond to messages—not just what they say they feel.
If you’re unfamiliar with our work, watch this short video.
Case Study 1: The Advocacy Formula | WWF
Scene by scene, notice how none of the messages, images, or ideas connect on a subconscious level. Even with the dramatic doomsday scenario and the urgency conveyed, this communication style falls short of being impactful enough to embed itself in memory and drive action.
Case Study 2: The Corporate Approach | HSBC
This approach to climate communication—which includes a reality check and a brand’s promise—lacks the strength needed to drive action. Although some moments are memorable and the humor resonates, the key message and branding fall short of being effectively encoded.
These examples reveal how audiences respond differently at a subconscious level compared to their self-reported behaviors—and why that matters for crafting effective climate messaging.
The Challenge and the Way Forward
The challenge in front of us is mammoth. We cannot underestimate the role communication will play in creating a global movement to combat climate change. Over the past decade, we’ve done a good job of raising awareness. But the real challenge now lies in turning that awareness into action.
This is fundamentally a communications challenge. Of course, supply chains, associated costs, government action, and policy all need to work in harmony to address the crisis. But communication is an integral piece of the puzzle—and it’s time we took a more strategic view of it.
At Neuro-Insight, we have a plan. By leveraging cutting-edge neuroscience to decode the subconscious drivers of motivation, we believe we can unlock the potential of climate messaging to inspire meaningful action.
We’re looking for partners—organizations, foundations, and corporations—to join us in this effort. Together, we can transform how we communicate about the climate crisis and move from awareness to action.
For a deeper dive into this analysis and to explore collaboration opportunities, please reach out to us.
