Promoting effective and inclusive communicationDownload PDF Download PDF EditorialPublished: 04 August 2026Nature Climate Change volume 16, page 865 (2026) Cite this articleSave articleView saved researchClimate change communication shapes how societies perceive risks and respond to them. In this issue of Nature Climate Change we examine the evolving content and methods of climate communication, the challenges of urgency and injustice, and the strategies for building effective and inclusive communication channels.SubjectsClimate changeCommunicationPsychology and behaviourCommunication is central to public risk perception, disaster preparedness and behavioural resilience in the changing climate. To ensure efficacy, justice and inclusivity, communication should emphasize salient challenges, target those populations at risk, deliver appropriate messages, and foster mitigation and adaptive responses, in a timely and persuasive manner.Credit: Richard Jones / Alamy Stock PhotoHowever, despite an expanding body of climate knowledge, people and societies are underprepared in recognizing climate risks and taking action. The efficacy of communication is influenced by local socio-political context and personal perception, among other factors1,2. In this issue of Nature Climate Change and an associated online Focus entitled ‘Climate change communication’, we highlight reviews, opinion pieces and research on the evolving landscape of climate change communication and new opportunities and challenges.Climate communication is shaped by several factors: who is conveying the messages, who the audience is, the mode of communication and which behaviour domains are targeted. In a Perspective article, Hampton et al. present a framework to identify promising combinations of communicators, mechanisms and contexts for effective communication strategies. In particular, they highlight high-profile influencers, as well as everyday influencers, close social connections and collective actors (including governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations and other institutions) as key points of interventions for transferring messages and motivating behaviour change for climate action.The efficacy of climate change communication also requires strategies that respond to local contexts. A Q&A with scholars working on climate communication in the USA, Portugal, China, India, Brazil and South Africa shows that climate change communication in each country is often a response to local environmental issues and socio‑economic development challenges. For example, in Brazil, climate communication is usually associated with the preservation of the Amazon rainforest, while in South Africa, it is framed around development concerns — unemployment, economic stagnation and infrastructure collapse. Localized messaging is ensuring climate justice, by considering those who are vulnerable, what rights should be protected and how diverse actors as well as forms of knowledge can be integrated into decision-making.While progress has been made in communication interventions, challenges remain3. In their Comment article, Houston and First examine five current obstacles in disaster communication: misinformation and disinformation, unequal access to information, disaster fatigue due to prolonged or repeated disaster exposure, polarized attitudes, and mental distress from disaster media. Otherwise, ineffective communication may lead to maladaptation by shifting burdens across populations, exacerbating the vulnerability of disadvantaged groups and delaying timely action.New technologies and digital platforms are transforming the landscape of climate communication, and bring new opportunities and challenges. In a Review article, Schäfer and Metag discuss the increasing use of social media, which broadens participation and diversifies voices but also fosters misinformation, fragmentation and polarization, with effects on attitudes, knowledge and behaviour varying by context. Video games also provide a venue for discussing climate change, not only in the game itself but also through social interactions in gaming communities4. Artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the content and modes of climate communication. AI‑driven weather forecasting enables earlier predictions of weather than traditional forecasting approaches, which can enhance the adaptive behaviour of farmers through timely communication5. While generative AI can craft persuasive, tailored messages and simplify complex climate science, to help reduce scepticism and broaden reach, its limitations — polarization, misinformation and inequity — must be carefully managed6,7. Future research needs to further explore how emerging technologies influence the cognitive processes behind human perceptions and behaviour in this digital era.Climate communication must be transformed in both research and practice, to match the evolving climatic conditions, socio‑economic and cultural contexts, and technological change.ReferencesRode, J. B. et al. J. Environ. Psychol. 76, 101623 (2021).Article Google Scholar Bolsen, T., Palm, R. & & Kingsland, J. T. Sci. Commun. 41, 464–487 (2019).Article Google Scholar Sol, A. & Karlsson, M. Environ. 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