Towards an ecology of climate stories

Towards an ecology of climate stories

The stories we tell about our changing climate fundamentally shape how we address and act on this existential crisis. Through their craft, storytellers render stories that help us grapple with the magnitude, the depth and the reach of what it means to live through planetary systems in transition. Climate storytelling is not just a tool for raising awareness or promoting action; it is a crucial piece of infrastructure that underpins our entire response to climate change. The narratives we construct and disseminate through film and media deeply influence public perception, policy decisions, and collective action.

The power of the story is undeniable. In fact, unfathomable amounts of resources have been invested in storytelling by the oil industry and the industrial complexes seeking to perpetuate the systems driving the climate crisis. Unsustainable living is only seen as natural and inevitable due to the stories told by these industries that won the imagination of billions around the world. We must re-ignite the imagination towards a sustainable world that respects the rights of generations to come.

Over the years I have been working with film and more broadly in seeking to understand and develop the various roles the arts and culture can play in the transformations towards sustainability. In hosting the Climate Story Lab Nordic, we learned how crucial the film industry is but also how much it needs to advance to fulfill its true potential within the climate crisis. “Greening the production” although very important will not be enough. We need to invest in a “storytelling ecosystem” fit-for-the-task of a world in transition. This will require bold action across all levels of the film and media industry.

First we must create support structures and opportunities for independent filmmakers working on the frontlines of the climate story. Despite the critical importance of their work, many climate storytellers in the film industry are struggling. Independent filmmakers often face immense challenges in financing their projects, leading to a scarcity of diverse climate stories on screen. The pressure and emotional toll of engaging with the climate crisis has also led to mental health issues amongst filmmakers. Independent documentary filmmaking stands apart from corporate documentary production in crucial ways. As the DISCO network articulates, independent documentarians work free from both market and state pressures, allowing them to pursue stories and perspectives that may be overlooked or suppressed by more mainstream outlets. This independence is vital for climate storytelling, as it enables filmmakers to tackle politically sensitive topics, challenge powerful interests, and amplify marginalized voices on the frontlines of the climate crisis. At a time when streaming platforms are narrowing their appetite for creative and politically bold content, and government censorship is on the rise in many regions, we must actively cultivate spaces that nurture and showcase independent climate documentaries. The Climate Story Lab serves as one such incubator, providing independent filmmakers with resources, connections and strategic support to bring urgent climate stories to audiences around the world.

In terms of distribution and exhibitions, curators and programmers hold immense power and a broader understanding of “climate stories” is needed to increase the presence and reach of this work. Many distributors still view climate as a niche topic rather than the all-encompassing and intersectional issue, limiting the availability of space, reach and impact of climate stories. Contemporary filmmakers are demonstrating that climate storytelling is often not about climate at all. The climate crisis intersects with every aspect of our lives – from our health and livelihoods, to social justice and cultural identity. After all, terms like “climate-smart”, “climate action” or “sustainability” are all expressions of how to create a world where living a healthy, fair, creative and thriving life is possible. Climate stories can take many forms, from personal narratives of resilience and adaptation, to imaginings of alternative futures and explorations of our complex entanglements with nature. The frontier of climate storytelling is rooted in a vast range of human experiences and perspectives.

Climate justice is a central pillar of this expanded view of climate stories. As highlighted by filmmakers throughout this handbook, climate change disproportionately affects marginalized communities. By lifting these voices and experiences, we not only tell more authentic stories but also address the root causes of the crisis. This approach allows us to explore the intersections of climate with social justice, economic inequality, and cultural identity. Filmmakers have a responsibility to navigate this territory with care, avoiding the pitfalls of greenwashing or perpetuating green colonialism. We need stories that center climate justice, highlight collective action, provide essential context, and dwell in the messy realities of forging a path forward. At the same time, to inspire and galvanize change we need stories that give us a vision of what's possible – that show us glimpses of a regenerative, equitable, and thriving world. These may be small, place-based stories of communities coming together to build resilience and heal ecosystems. Or sweeping, imaginative sagas that allow us to feel viscerally the potential for a radically altered future. We need stories grounded in love, empathy, and interconnection – the forces that will ultimately drive a just transition.

Climate storytelling is also moving towards co-creation and more participatory types of storytelling that forge collaboration and community involvement. By engaging with local communities, activists, and local communities, we can develop more authentic and resonant narratives. In the future we also hope to see more spaces of storytelling within areas of society where aesthetics and imagination have been shut out such as science, policy and political arenas.

Inevitably, we also see climate storytelling as multiplatform. From podcasts to immersive storytelling, audio-based storytelling, installations, cinema, emergent stories and all that is to come. These new formats and communicative shapes influence the ways we tell stories, but also how we reach audiences, echo-chambers, misinformation, attention deflection - there are many new dynamics we need to contend with, and cannot escape from. And filmmakers and new media artists are already responding to it. By harnessing the power of emerging media, we can create story spaces that foster dialogue, reflection, and meaningful action.

There is also so much potential to develop novel strategies for audience engagement (the film industry calls it impact strategy). Several cases around the world demonstrate how a climate film can have a multi-year long distribution strategy reaching specific communities, catalyzing place-based conversations and initiating local action. The design and implementation of such strategies require new skills that are only starting to emerge in the film industry, so more capacity building is required for professionals able to orchestrate learning journeys centered on films. It's no longer enough to create compelling content and hope it finds its audience. We need to be as strategic and innovative in our outreach as we are in our storytelling. Crucially, the way forward also demands that we rethink what "impact" means. Success isn't just about festival accolades or streaming numbers. It's about sparking conversations in new communities, inspiring tangible actions, and slowly but surely shifting the cultural narrative around climate change. As an industry, we need to embrace this more holistic view of impact. It means collaborating more closely with impact producers from the outset, not as an afterthought. It means being willing to experiment with hybrid distribution models that might prioritize reaching specific communities over maximizing profits. And it means measuring our success not just in views, but in changed minds and mobilized communities.

Research from Yale's Program on Climate Change Communication offers a crucial insight: there's a vast "moveable middle" in the climate conversation. These are individuals who are neither climate deniers nor activists, but rather people who are concerned yet uncertain how to engage. This group, comprising over 60% of the population in many countries, represents our greatest opportunity for impact. The Climate Story Lab in the US has emphasized this point, urging filmmakers to focus less on "preaching to the choir" or trying to convert hardened skeptics. Instead, we should craft narratives and engagement strategies that speak to those who are open to climate action but haven't yet found their way in.

This approach requires nuance. It means moving beyond moving beyond simplistic apocalyptic or utopian visions and beyond the binary of fear and hope. The most plausible climate futures exist on a spectrum between "the world below 1.5°C warming" and "total climate collapse". In this warmer than 1.5°C world, narratives need to embrace nuance, ambiguity, and the full spectrum of human experience. From grief and anger to joy and wonder, these emotional landscapes can help audiences connect more deeply with the issues at hand. It challenges us to find fresh angles, relatable characters, and unexpected entry points that can draw in viewers who might otherwise scroll past climate content.

Ultimately, the future of climate storytelling hinges on our ability to cultivate a vibrant, polyvocal story-space that holds the full spectrum of human responses to a rapidly changing world. If we are to navigate the transformations ahead and write a new ending to the climate story, we must first author an inclusive, imaginative, and emotionally resonant story-space that embraces the interconnected complexity of the Anthropocene.

As we conclude, let’s dare to imagine a yearly climate storytelling summit, gathering filmmakers, artists, industry leaders, scientists, policymakers to share insights, forge unexpected collaborations, and develop strategies for creating impactful climate stories across all media. Our collective future depends on the stories we tell today. It's time to reset the climate narrative – to support brave storytellers, expand our climate imaginaries, and trace the way toward a just and sustainable world. This is the great creative challenge and responsibility of our time. May we rise to meet it with courage, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the transformative power of story.