Framing a Crisis: The Evolution of Climate Communication and Storytelling

A quoted section from the original article:

While the term “climate change” is used frequently, “global warming” has become less popular. The shift, however, was not accidental but rather a strategic choice. 

In 2003, Frank Luntz, a communication expert working for the US Republican Party, introduced the term “climate change” into the public discourse. Upon his advice, Conservatives started using “climate change” instead of “global warming”, a more neutral term that does not necessarily have a negative meaning and urgent connotation to it. 

[…]

Fortunately, with the climate crisis intensifying, new, more accurate terms started gaining popularity. Some of them are “global heating”, “climate crisis”, and “climate emergency”, all of which convey a sense of immediacy and alarm, and underlining the gravity, urgency and reality of the issue. Moreover, instead of talking about “saving the planet”, environmentalists began reframing the discourse to “saving humanity” or “saving society”, making the issue more personal and adding urgency to the matter.  

Read the full post at Earth.org.