It is beyond dispute that climate change is already affecting the weather, geography, food production, and human behavior in negative ways. Sadly, though, neither the federal nor the state governments are doing much to educate and prepare the U.S. public for the inevitable challenges to come.

Common Edge Readies Itself for a Leading Role in Climate Change Communication

The Common Edge Climate Change Project seeks to educate people through communications, content, and organizing, in hopes of expanding the public dialogue among leaders and citizens, and help prepare for the unprecedented road ahead. We believe that an educated public can motivate government to act.

Our initiative will include a bio-monthly newsletter aimed at journalists who actively write about climate change; content sharing arrangements with websites and nonprofits; and a public outreach program that will include speaking engagements, conferences, and symposia.

Common Edge is collaborating with publicity specialists whose goal is to place Common Edge climate experts opposite government, business, education, and social leaders, via print, web, TV, and radio outlets. These environmental leaders have a vested interest in the effects of climate change because of the organizations they run, the facilities they operate, and their ability to influence government with the economic concerns and constituents they represent. Therefore, starting with those media outlets that reach our nation’s thought leaders is a crucial first step in influencing and inspiring climate action.

Our goal is to make cities and towns more human and to begin reconnecting them to nature. The good news is, this is a global movement with millions of participants. We want to help tap into their collective energy, sense of urgency, and rage. It is a defining challenge of our era.

Objectives

Inform the media about climate-change preparedness and better organized responses to natural disaster, in the immediate context of:

• The inevitable disruptions caused by climate change
• Helping communities prepare for and avoid many of the worst consequences of natural catastrophes
• Community-centered processes, and
• Helping to change our world by facilitating truly collaborative urban planning.