Communicating climate change and health: Which messages best motivate engagement in climate change advocacy?

Abstract: In recent years the public health frame has emerged as a potentially powerful lens through which to communicate the issue of climate change. However, Australian civil society groups have not yet identified which messages about climate change and health best motivate broader and deeper engagement with climate change advocacy. This thesis builds on existing research in the field of climate change communications to explore the following question: Which messages about health and climate change might best motivate individuals to engage in climate change advocacy? The research design used in this thesis consists of three parts. First, using content analysis informed by framing theory, this study maps the dominant health frames in climate change discourse across Australian digital media (online news, social media, web). Second, taking the results of the content analysis and applying insights around personal risk perceptions, emotions, and values, this study formulates a number of short messages that reflect useful ways for civil society organisations to communicate about climate change and health. These messages are then tested with a ‘concerned’ audience via an online focus group.