Report: use “deteriorating atmosphere” instead of “climate change”

Some oppose marketing science

Steve Hawley, Jun 18, 09.

EcoAmerica, an environmental nonprofit specializing in marketing and research, has released a report stating that the phrase “deteriorating atmosphere” is a more effective persuasion tool than either “global warming” or “climate change,” according to its website.

Notes about the research were accidentally released in April, and ecoAmerica states, “the ensuing reporting and commentary was based on incomplete, sometimes deliberately misconstrued interpretations of those notes.”

EcoAmerica says that the new phrase “reflects widely shared values and aspirations” and “resonates very strongly across the political spectrum.” Its report states:

For climate change, leading with global warming, climate crisis or climate change tends to polarize and weaken the message. The language itself is especially problematic among swing voters. We should speak of deteriorating atmosphere and only after establishing connections with Americans’ other values first.

It also states, “We should not differentiate multiple forms of pollution,” and “One or two strong facts, however, can be effective if they pack an emotional punch (e.g., that 10 of the hottest years on record have occurred since 1990).”

However, Grist notes that some reviewers, including the New York Times, suggested that it is cynical to market the climate crisis as if it were “[selling] toothpaste.”

Climate and Energy Truths (pdf, 1.5 mb)