Pro-Climate Action? Italy, France least divided; Germany, UK more split — but messaging matters everywhere

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NEW YORK, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On the heels of the 2026 Group of Seven (G7) Summit in France, Potential Energy Coalition, with financial support from The Rockefeller Foundation, today released Fixing Climate Communications, a new evidence-based playbook for communicating about climate more effectively across six of the G7 countries. Drawing on research with more than 83,000 adults across France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, and Canada — countries that together represent more than 40% of global gross domestic product (GDP) — the study identifies the messages that broaden support across ideological divides and the language that can undermine it, offering practical guidance at a time when many institutions are embracing a growing trend of climate hushing. Shared concerns – pollution, health, affordability, energy security, and protecting future generations – increased support by more than 10 percentage points across the six countries, and by contrast, messages emphasizing bans, mandates, disruption, or “net zero” consistently underperformed everywhere. 

“The climate crisis is already making it harder for people around the world to feed their families, get and work jobs, and pursue lives of dignity. Meeting this challenge with the urgency it demands requires speaking about it in ways that resonate and motivate. This research shows how data-driven communication can shape a better conversation about how to tackle the climate crisis and build a safer and more prosperous future,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President, The Rockefeller Foundation. 

According to the World Bank, an additional 14.5–15.6 million people could die in low- and middle-income countries from climate-related causes by 2050 if the current trajectory continues. Globally, extreme heat kills an average of one person every minute, and workers around the world lost 640 billion hours of potential work – almost double what was typical in the 1990s – per last year’s Lancet Countdown Report. 

Despite the stakes for humanity’s well-being, there has been a broad, persistent retreat in public language about climate. Recent GlobeScan research underscores the rise of climate hushing: across 31 markets, the share of consumers seeing sustainability messaging fell from 49% in 2023 to 36% in 2025, while trust in those messages dropped from 79% to 65%. Global news coverage of climate change fell 38% by the end of 2025 from the peak in 2021, and mentions of climate and ESG issues on S&P 500 earnings calls have dropped by roughly three-quarters during this period. 

“Climate is a winning issue when communicated effectively. Climate hushing is short-sighted and ineffective; the data refutes the growing conventional wisdom that leaders should avoid talking about climate and rely only on a side door of clean energy or economic benefits. This is not about whether to talk about climate, but how – moving beyond narrow, easily politicized frames and connecting instead to the real material costs, impacts, and everyday concerns that can significantly expand public support,” said John Marshall, Executive Chair at Potential Energy Coalition. 

Key Findings:The research finds that climate solutions continue to command broad, cross-ideological support across all six countries, and that how the issue is communicated matters. 

The findings are based on two rounds of international research conducted by Potential Energy Coalition, commissioned by The Rockefeller Foundation, with fieldwork by Echelon Insights and Merlin Strategy, as well as six years of Potential Energy Coalition’s historical data. From September through December 2025, 83,971 adults across various age groups, genders, regions, education levels, ethnicities, and political perspectives were surveyed across the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada. The research identifies three evidence-based principles for more effective climate communication – and the data shows they work. After exposure to a single effective message built on these principles, support increased by at least 9 points in every country tested: 

Additional findings include, but are not limited to: 

Country Breakdown:Representing more than 40% of global gross domestic product (GDP) combined: 

With plans to expand the current study to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, and Türkiye in the coming months, Fixing Climate Communications is the latest research to be commissioned by The Rockefeller Foundation’s Build the Shared Future Initiative, through which the 113-year-old philanthropic organization aims to inspire and inform global cooperation and international development work that matches the challenges of the 21st century, including efforts to align with governments around the world – with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa – to identify country-led solutions to maximize every dollar of remaining aid and to stimulate new investments. 

Statements of Support: 

For additional information and to download the report and its country-by-country appendix, please visit: https://potentialenergycoalition.org/fixingclimatecomms/. 

Note to Editors: 

About the ResearchFixing Climate Communications is based on two rounds of international research conducted by the Potential Energy Coalition in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation, with fieldwork by Echelon Insights and Merlin Strategy between September and December 2025. 

Round 1 — Qualitative Research (September 2025)Moderated online focus groups were conducted with 133 participants across the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. Participants who believe climate change is happening but are only somewhat worried about it were screened to understand how less climate-engaged but potentially persuadable audiences respond to alternative climate messaging. The research explored participants’ broader national mood, core personal priorities, climate concern, perceived barriers to action, and reactions to specific climate messages and messengers. 

Round 2 — Quantitative Research (November–December 2025)Two large-scale quantitative studies were conducted across all six countries: 

National Survey (~42,000 respondents, ~7,500 per country, ~4,000 in Canada): Measured the climate landscape, baseline attitudes, issue priority rankings, and how climate compares to adjacent energy, pollution, nature, and cost-of-living frames. Each country sample was weighted by age, gender, education, past vote, and region to ensure nationally representative results. 

Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) Message Test (~41,100 respondents, ~6,500 per country, ~8,500 in the US): Tested 11 climate narratives against a control group to identify which most effectively moved public opinion. The 11 narratives tested were: 

Head-to-head competitive test reflects how often each of the following eight pro-climate messages are favored over the strongest opposition message – ‘Climate limitations means families pay higher bills’ – when respondents chose between pro- and anti-climate messages simultaneously: 

In total, the research captures the views of 83,971 people worldwide. 

About Potential Energy Coalition:Potential Energy Coalition is a 501(c)(3) purpose-built communications capability that significantly accelerates climate progress through narrative shifts and proven marketing strategies. We carry out climate change campaigns at the moments that matter most, powered by data-driven insights on the best way to frame key issues. Potential Energy leverages in-depth nonpartisan research, world-class marketing experience, and evidence-based educational campaign tactics to cultivate public will for clean energy and climate solutions. More at https://potentialenergycoalition.org/. 

About The Rockefeller Foundation:Investing $30 billion over the last 113 years to promote the well-being of humanity, The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on unlikely partnerships and innovative solutions that deliver measurable results for people in the United States and around the world, including in association with RF Catalytic Capital Inc (RFCC). We leverage scientific breakthroughs, artificial intelligence, and new technologies to make big bets across energy, food, health, and finance. For more information, follow us on LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation, X @RockefellerFdn, Instagram @rockefellerfdn, and YouTube @rockefellerfound, and sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe. 

  

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