PR key to sustainability and ease climate impact
Amid the growing threat of climate change, W7Worldwide — Saudi Arabia’s leading homegrown marketing consulting agency — recently published an insight report titled “The PR Role in Climate Crisis” to press home the urgency of the situation.
According the report, the world is grappling with an imminent crisis of climate change. “We are already witnessing increased floods, droughts, intense rains, and a visible surge in frequent and severe heat waves,” it says.
The consequences are colossal and the climate change crisis stands as one of the most threatening and severe challenges plaguing the planet.
Severity of the Crisis
Data and statistics concerning the consequences of climate change highlight the severity of the situation and emphasize the importance of collective action.
The W7Worldwide report observed that 90% of natural disasters are connected to weather and climate conditions. This is beside the global economy, which is projected to incur approximately $178 trillion in losses in the next five decades due to climate change.
Moreover, climate change is pushing 26 million individuals worldwide into poverty and placing 41 million people on the brink of starvation. Additionally, estimates from international banks suggest that around 140 million individuals in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia will be compelled to migrate within their own regions by 2050 as a result of climate change.
Communicating messages is essential
The current situation and alarming facts have emphasized the importance of effective communication like never before. Whether it is for business or environmental conservation, communicating messages has become crucial.
British naturalist David Attenborough said, “Saving the planet now requires effective communication,” emphasizing the essential role of communications specialists and public relations companies in this crisis.
The United Nations made it a salient point in its Sustainable Development Goals, urging the people to take the lead in climate change communication urgently and address its impacts.
Climate change is occurring at a faster pace than anticipated, with the average global temperature rising by approximately 1.1 degrees Celsius since 1880. While this increase may seem insignificant, it has the potential to disrupt the world’s climate patterns.
Survey
The report cites a survey conducted by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) in 2022, the findings of which revealed the increasing importance of PR in addressing climate change.
The survey indicated that 81% of respondents anticipated a rise in the significance of climate change in their work over the next two years.
Additionally, 90% of those surveyed believed that the responsibility of tackling climate change falls on the PR profession. PR professionals also expressed that managing clients in climate action represents a major obligation for them.
IPRA views these survey results as a call to affirm the role of public relations in making a global impact during this crisis. The situation necessitates the development of a range of intricate and adaptable skills among communication practitioners to effectively communicate sustainability messages, bridge the expanding skill gap in the public relations industry, and impart these skills to others.
Raising Awareness
Rising to the occasion, W7worldwide has often linked effective communication to educating and inspiring the public to reduce the crisis. In 2022, it developed a comprehensive communication guide, “7 Communication Strategies for Recovery from Covid-19 in the post-COP26 climate change conference” https://w7worldwide.com/?s=Climate.
This guide assists companies in formulating communication strategies that prioritize environmental concerns within their social responsibility frameworks.
