“If we don't do a good job explaining the reasons behind policy, the behaviour change or understanding we're aiming for may not be easily achieved or durable.”
How do governments best communicate complex climate policies to audiences with very different priorities, concerns, and perspectives?
That question drove a recent research project for the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, completed by Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) student Leandro Salud under the guidance of Practitioner Fellow Jen Walker. The project focused on developing a communications toolkit to serve as an ongoing resource for the province of British Columbia in support of transparent engagement around industrial climate policy.
“I’m very passionate about the climate field as a whole,” said Leandro, who prior to joining the MPPGA program worked as a sustainability consultant helping organizations navigate climate-related risks and decarbonization strategies across the Asia-Pacific region. This project offered an opportunity to explore climate issues from a different vantage point. He noted: “On the corporate side, it’s often: ‘How do we react to this policy? How do we work around it while meeting our bottom line?’ On the government side, it’s: ‘How do we make it serve a broad range of interests across society?’ That’s what I want to do.”
While industrial climate policy may initially appear distant from the day-to-day concerns of many British Columbians, Jen Walker, who is a Director in the BC Provincial Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship, knows that effective communication is essential to building public understanding and trust. “If we don’t do a good job explaining the reasons behind policy,” she notes, “the behaviour change or understanding we’re aiming for may not be easily achieved or durable.”
“When we started, there was concern about how not to lose the room when talking about industrial climate policy… The audience isn't one-dimensional, so the communication approach can't be either”
Rather than creating a single set of communications recommendations, the project evolved into a flexible toolkit designed to help communicators tailor their approach depending on audience needs and circumstances. “When we started, there was concern about how not to lose the room when talking about industrial climate policy… The audience isn’t one-dimensional, so the communication approach can’t be either” explained Leandro. This format can also remain relevant even as political priorities, public opinion, and organizational resources change. Some audiences may simply need help understanding a policy; others may require evidence that builds trust and credibility in the face of misinformation. Still others may be ready to engage more deeply as partners in support policy goals. “Giving a static set of recommendations felt too rigid,” said Leandro. “A toolkit is modular. You can pick and choose what you need depending on the circumstances, which ultimately makes it much more durable and relevant.” One of the project’s strengths is that its approach could have applications beyond a single policy area, and addresses the important issue of how to engage in discussion and education about policy more broadly.
Jen Walker spent eight months at SPPGA as part of the Practitioner Fellows program, which has been designed in the spirit of facilitating knowledge exchange, strengthening community ties, and building an ethos of practice into the professional Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs program. Supporting Leandro was one of many projects she worked on in the school during her time here. “The guidance, context, and understanding of how government processes work were incredibly valuable throughout the project,” said Leandro.
Maral Sotoudehnia, Acting Executive Director of the Clean Growth Branch at the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions, highlighted the well-researched and professional quality of Leandro’s work noting “this practical communications toolkit will help to inform our policy considerations going forward. “
