Luke Account Executive 18 July, 2025 • Reading time: 5 minutes Beyond Boundaries: What the Northern Sustainability Summit Reveals About Effective Climate Communication Last week’s Northern Sustainability Summit in Manchester offered cross-cutting insights in climate communication from across the private and non-profit sectors. Climate Change Events I attended my home town’s Northern Sustainability Summit to draw out insights for my work at Empower in non-profit digital climate communications, and for me the summit’s standout session was ‘Planning for a Sustainable Future’. This panel brought together voices from Electricity North West, the Peak District National Park Foundation, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Rochdale Development Agency. It was fascinating to hear how the aims and projects of these charitable, government and private organisations complement and collaborate to drive impact beyond traditional boundaries. The Power of Systems Thinking in Climate Communication Host Ilona Alcock from Elevate set the scene: “We’re a little bit spoilt in Greater Manchester”. She has a point – organisations across this region are already collaborating pretty effectively on net zero goals, and this approach offers valuable lessons for others seeking to address climate action. The panellists demonstrated how effective climate communication requires understanding interconnected systems rather than focusing on isolated actions. Paul George from Electricity North West didn’t just talk about renewable energy; he contextualised it within the broader challenge of energy security as UK energy dependence is set to double by 2040. This systems-based approach showcases the kind of strategic thinking that makes climate communication compelling and credible. Nature as Communication Strategy I was excited to hear from Roisin Joyce of the Peak District National Park Foundation, after the Empower team loved working with the National Parks Foundation last year. Roisin also used a systemic view to describe climate communications that cuts through. Her insight that “nature does not care about human-made boundaries” offers a framework for helping audiences understand and learn from the climate impacts they are experiencing. Using flooding as an example, she showed how issues affecting Greater Manchester may originate far beyond the city region itself. This approach helps audiences grasp the real, current, local and systemic nature of climate challenges without getting lost in complexity. More importantly, Joyce highlighted how climate solutions don’t always require cutting-edge technology. Instead, she demonstrated how “we can incorporate the nature on our doorstep” – a message that makes climate action feel achievable rather than dependent on innovations beyond most people’s control. Much of this chimed with Jaz’s observations from Groundswell around nature-based solutions and regenerative agriculture. Avoid False Optimism – and Paralysing Despair I really liked an example from Joyce about peatlands, which represents exactly the kind of compelling narrative that effective climate communication requires to engage audiences: The hook: Peatlands account for just 3% of global land cover Yet they hold more carbon than all the world’s forests The problem: 80% of the UK peatlands are degraded Effectively transforming them from carbon sinks into carbon sources, The solution: Peatland restoration is “relatively straightforward” But it requires time and money It’s the kind of balanced messaging that builds trust. It acknowledges challenges while maintaining agency, avoiding both false optimism and paralysing despair. Learn more: Protect our Peatlands – Peak District National Park Foundation Community Engagement: From Art to Action I also loved that the summit showcased the power of creative community engagement. Steph Everett from Rochdale Development Agency highlighted The Herds: a climate action project featuring 70 life-sized safari animal puppets that transformed public art into climate communication. This approach demonstrates how effective climate messaging moves beyond data and statistics to create emotional connections and community ownership. For organisations seeking to engage audiences on climate issues, this example illustrates the importance of meeting people where they are, using familiar cultural touchpoints to make climate action feel accessible and relevant rather than abstract or overwhelming. As my colleague Jaz has mentioned in her recent blog from SXSW London, the mainstream climate communication space desperately needs creatives to drive vision and engagement. What This Means for Climate Communication Reflecting on the summit, several insights feel particularly relevant for organisations working on climate communication: Embrace interconnectedness: The conversations that energised attendees most didn’t shy away from complexity. Climate communication that acknowledges interconnected systems while providing clear actions feels more honest and ultimately more compelling (this also came up for Jaz at Groundswell). Centre community resilience: The most powerful sessions connected environmental challenges to community wellbeing and local identity. This suggests opportunities to frame climate work in terms of building resilient communities rather than abstract environmental benefits. (Also worth checking out another of Jaz’s blogs on this Climate Insights: ‘Involving the public in achieving net zero’) Bridge pragmatism and vision: Rather than choosing between practical incremental change and transformational vision, the most effective communicators found ways to hold both – showing how immediate actions contribute to bigger shifts. Diversify voices: The strength of the summit came from bringing together different types of expertise. For climate communication, this means actively seeking out voices from business, community groups and frontline organisations alongside traditional environmental voices. (Have a look at my colleague Ally’s notes from London Climate Acton Week – Hope, Love, Nature, Diaspora – London Climate Action Week 2025 Highlights) The Multiplier Effect What struck me most was how the summit demonstrated the multiplier effect of effective climate communication. When Greater Manchester organisations work together effectively, they don’t just reduce their own emissions; they create a model that influences other regions, inspires policy changes and shifts broader cultural narratives about what’s possible. This multiplier effect is particularly relevant for organisations considering their own climate communication strategies. The question isn’t just whether your messaging reduces your own environmental impact, but whether it enables and inspires broader systemic change. As the summit reinforced, achieving net zero isn’t just about reducing emissions – it’s about recognising the interconnected nature of our environmental challenges and creating communication strategies that help audiences navigate complexity while maintaining agency and hope. The collaborative spirit evident in Greater Manchester provides a strong foundation, but the real opportunity lies in scaling these approaches to create lasting positive change. — Many thanks to the hosts and panelists at the Northern Sustainability Summit for such a thought-provoking day. More insights from the Empower team View content SEO Job: SEO Trainer for Empower Team Upskilling Read more View content Climate Change Events Beyond Boundaries: What the Northern Sustainability Summit Reveals About Effective Climate Communication Read more View content Climate Change Events “Diversity grows resilience”: Lessons from Groundswell for climate communicators Read more View content Climate Change Empower Agency joins the Ethical Agency Alliance Read more View content Climate Change Events Hope, Love, Nature, Diaspora – London Climate Action Week 2025 Highlights Read more View content Climate Change Events Serviced emissions: the hidden climate impact of professional services Read more View content Climate Change London Climate Action Week 2025 – in person and digital highlights Read more View content Climate Change Events Will AI Make or Break the Energy Transition? 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I attended my home town’s Northern Sustainability Summit to draw out insights for my work at Empower in non-profit digital climate communications, and for me the summit’s standout session was ‘Planning for a Sustainable Future’. This panel brought together voices from Electricity North West, the Peak District National Park Foundation, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Rochdale Development Agency. It was fascinating to hear how the aims and projects of these charitable, government and private organisations complement and collaborate to drive impact beyond traditional boundaries. The Power of Systems Thinking in Climate Communication Host Ilona Alcock from Elevate set the scene: “We’re a little bit spoilt in Greater Manchester”. She has a point – organisations across this region are already collaborating pretty effectively on net zero goals, and this approach offers valuable lessons for others seeking to address climate action. The panellists demonstrated how effective climate communication requires understanding interconnected systems rather than focusing on isolated actions. Paul George from Electricity North West didn’t just talk about renewable energy; he contextualised it within the broader challenge of energy security as UK energy dependence is set to double by 2040. This systems-based approach showcases the kind of strategic thinking that makes climate communication compelling and credible.
Nature as Communication Strategy I was excited to hear from Roisin Joyce of the Peak District National Park Foundation, after the Empower team loved working with the National Parks Foundation last year. Roisin also used a systemic view to describe climate communications that cuts through. Her insight that “nature does not care about human-made boundaries” offers a framework for helping audiences understand and learn from the climate impacts they are experiencing. Using flooding as an example, she showed how issues affecting Greater Manchester may originate far beyond the city region itself. This approach helps audiences grasp the real, current, local and systemic nature of climate challenges without getting lost in complexity. More importantly, Joyce highlighted how climate solutions don’t always require cutting-edge technology. Instead, she demonstrated how “we can incorporate the nature on our doorstep” – a message that makes climate action feel achievable rather than dependent on innovations beyond most people’s control. Much of this chimed with Jaz’s observations from Groundswell around nature-based solutions and regenerative agriculture.
Avoid False Optimism – and Paralysing Despair I really liked an example from Joyce about peatlands, which represents exactly the kind of compelling narrative that effective climate communication requires to engage audiences: The hook: Peatlands account for just 3% of global land cover Yet they hold more carbon than all the world’s forests The problem: 80% of the UK peatlands are degraded Effectively transforming them from carbon sinks into carbon sources, The solution: Peatland restoration is “relatively straightforward” But it requires time and money It’s the kind of balanced messaging that builds trust. It acknowledges challenges while maintaining agency, avoiding both false optimism and paralysing despair. Learn more: Protect our Peatlands – Peak District National Park Foundation
Community Engagement: From Art to Action I also loved that the summit showcased the power of creative community engagement. Steph Everett from Rochdale Development Agency highlighted The Herds: a climate action project featuring 70 life-sized safari animal puppets that transformed public art into climate communication. This approach demonstrates how effective climate messaging moves beyond data and statistics to create emotional connections and community ownership. For organisations seeking to engage audiences on climate issues, this example illustrates the importance of meeting people where they are, using familiar cultural touchpoints to make climate action feel accessible and relevant rather than abstract or overwhelming. As my colleague Jaz has mentioned in her recent blog from SXSW London, the mainstream climate communication space desperately needs creatives to drive vision and engagement.
What This Means for Climate Communication Reflecting on the summit, several insights feel particularly relevant for organisations working on climate communication: Embrace interconnectedness: The conversations that energised attendees most didn’t shy away from complexity. Climate communication that acknowledges interconnected systems while providing clear actions feels more honest and ultimately more compelling (this also came up for Jaz at Groundswell). Centre community resilience: The most powerful sessions connected environmental challenges to community wellbeing and local identity. This suggests opportunities to frame climate work in terms of building resilient communities rather than abstract environmental benefits. (Also worth checking out another of Jaz’s blogs on this Climate Insights: ‘Involving the public in achieving net zero’) Bridge pragmatism and vision: Rather than choosing between practical incremental change and transformational vision, the most effective communicators found ways to hold both – showing how immediate actions contribute to bigger shifts. Diversify voices: The strength of the summit came from bringing together different types of expertise. For climate communication, this means actively seeking out voices from business, community groups and frontline organisations alongside traditional environmental voices. (Have a look at my colleague Ally’s notes from London Climate Acton Week – Hope, Love, Nature, Diaspora – London Climate Action Week 2025 Highlights)
The Multiplier Effect What struck me most was how the summit demonstrated the multiplier effect of effective climate communication. When Greater Manchester organisations work together effectively, they don’t just reduce their own emissions; they create a model that influences other regions, inspires policy changes and shifts broader cultural narratives about what’s possible. This multiplier effect is particularly relevant for organisations considering their own climate communication strategies. The question isn’t just whether your messaging reduces your own environmental impact, but whether it enables and inspires broader systemic change. As the summit reinforced, achieving net zero isn’t just about reducing emissions – it’s about recognising the interconnected nature of our environmental challenges and creating communication strategies that help audiences navigate complexity while maintaining agency and hope. The collaborative spirit evident in Greater Manchester provides a strong foundation, but the real opportunity lies in scaling these approaches to create lasting positive change. — Many thanks to the hosts and panelists at the Northern Sustainability Summit for such a thought-provoking day.
More insights from the Empower team View content SEO Job: SEO Trainer for Empower Team Upskilling Read more View content Climate Change Events Beyond Boundaries: What the Northern Sustainability Summit Reveals About Effective Climate Communication Read more View content Climate Change Events “Diversity grows resilience”: Lessons from Groundswell for climate communicators Read more View content Climate Change Empower Agency joins the Ethical Agency Alliance Read more View content Climate Change Events Hope, Love, Nature, Diaspora – London Climate Action Week 2025 Highlights Read more View content Climate Change Events Serviced emissions: the hidden climate impact of professional services Read more View content Climate Change London Climate Action Week 2025 – in person and digital highlights Read more View content Climate Change Events Will AI Make or Break the Energy Transition? Insights from Nature and Climate House Read more View content Climate Change Events Has the Climate Emergency Backfired? SXSW London Debate Read more View content Digital Strategy Events Engaging Digital Comms: How charities, higher education and local government are creating connection Read more View content Digital Strategy Cutting through the noise at COP30 Read more View content AI SEO Google AI Mode: A Guide for Charities and Nonprofits Read more View content Social Media Video Meta publicly launches Edits, their answer to CapCut Read more View content Social Media Should you be using hashtags in 2025? Read more View content Social Media Social media stats for charities and nonprofits Read more View content Events Facebook Ads Nonprofits & the new Meta reality Read more
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