Show Notes
It’s becoming increasingly clear that how we talk about climate change matters as much as the science or policy itself. The words we use carry weight, and climate communicator Susan Joy Hassol says specific word choices, like “heat-trapping pollution” rather than “greenhouse gases,” can cut through polarization and help messages resonate with a wider range of people. Equally important is listening to what people and communities need to better handle the impacts from climate disruption.
And different audiences need different approaches. For example: adults can help children process climate fear and grief without overwhelming them by offering age-appropriate honesty paired with validation of their emotions. Good communication can be one of the most effective forms of climate action.
Guests:
Robin Cooper, Co-Founder and President, Climate Psychiatry Alliance
Elizabeth Yeampierre, Attorney; Executive Director, UPROSE
Susan Joy Hassol, Director, Climate Communication
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction
2:14 Robin Cooper on climate related mental health issues young people have
5:16 Robin Cooper on how adults can help young people in their lives
12:22 Robin Cooper on having multiple conversations with young people about climate
15:57 Robin Cooper on next steps after identifying climate anxieties in young people
19:46 Elizabeth Yeampierre on what it took to get Sunset Park Solar going
29:33 Elizabeth Yeampierre on building community trust and listening
31:40 Elizabeth Yeampierre on working with other communities
36:11 Susan Joy Hassol on not using the phrase “climate change”
39:52 Susan Joy Hassol on the phrase “natural disasters”
46:11 Susan Joy Hassol on dealing with hostility when discussing climate
For show notes, related links, and episode transcript, visit our episode page at climateone.org
***
Join Climate One for an electric conversation on September 1 at 6 p.m. between PG&E CEO Patti Poppe and California State Senator Scott Wiener about energy affordability, outages, and whether cities like San Francisco are ready to break up with the investor owned utility model. Tickets available at climateone.org/events
***
Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today.
***
Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from Climate One
Climate scientist Kate Marvel made headlines this year when she publicly resigned from NASA, drawing coverage from Bloomberg to The New York Times. Marvel says her resignation wasn’t newsworthy on its own. What made it notable is that she was one of more than 10,000 Ph.D. scientists to leave the federal government during President Trump’s second term, part of what she calls a “mass nerd exodus.”
The war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz created a global energy supply crisis. And while gasoline prices didn’t reach the extreme highs some predicted a few months ago, the global markets are still in flux.
New York set some of the country's most ambitious climate goals, from slashing emissions to bracing for rising seas. But living in the city is freaking expensive. So what does it take for NYC to be affordable and climate-conscious?
How should Democrats campaign on climate? Some are quietly shelving climate-specific language ahead of the midterms in favor of terms like “energy crisis” and “affordability.” But Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island has been talking about climate change on the Senate floor for more than a decade, and he has no plans to stop now.
As the 2026 midterms approach, voters are contending with concerns around affordability, the AI boom, and climate disruption in their daily lives. AI data centers have become the wild card in energy politics, driving up energy demand and utility bills, and playing a large role in a battleground House primary. A year after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act rolled back key parts of the Inflation Reduction Act, many climate advocates assumed the energy transition was stalled out, but new research suggests otherwise.