The Linguistics of Climate Change Communication: Why Certain Words Make People Act

In an age of rising sea levels and sinking attention spans, how we talk about climate change is just as important as the science behind it.

We’ve seen the sensationalist headlines, but are these urgent warnings shifting public behaviour or just fuelling climate fatigue?

Welcome to the world of environmental linguistics where words are more than symbols. They are tools of persuasion, resistance, and (hopefully) transformation.

Why Climate Communication Fails (and Occasionally Succeeds)

Despite decades of reports, campaigns, and increasingly dire IPCC summaries, global emissions continue to rise. The question isn't just what we're saying. It's how we’re saying it.

Linguist George Lakoff argues in his book Don’t Think of an Elephant! that political and environmental discourse is shaped not by facts, but by frames and mental structures that shape the way we understand the world. People don’t vote (or compost) based on data. They act based on metaphors, stories, and values.

In other words, you can’t fact-check someone into caring about the planet.

Lexical Patterns that Motivate Action

1. Gain Frames Beat Loss Frames (Most of the Time)

Saying “Save £500 a year on your energy bill” often works better than “Reduce your carbon footprint.”

Why? Behavioural psychology shows that concrete personal gain is more compelling than abstract collective loss.

Words like:

• Save

• Earn

• Protect

…tend to outperform:

• Sacrifice

• Cut down

• Limit

Especially when paired with familiar lifestyle outcomes such as comfort, health, savings, and security.

2. From Doom to Doing

Environmental messaging often collapses into what eco-linguists call the “Disaster Frame.”

Examples include:

• “We’re running out of time”

• “The ice caps are melting”

• “It’s too late”

  
  

These metaphors deactivate rather than mobilise. Research shows that audiences feel overwhelmed and disengaged when exposed to language that implies helplessness or inevitability.

Instead, consider using alternatives such as:

• “We still have a window”

• “There’s momentum building”

• “Communities are already leading change”

Hope isn’t naive. It’s a strategic frame that creates space for action.

3. Nature as an Ally, Not Resource

The framing of nature as something to “use” or “manage” reinforces extractive mindsets. Instead, many communities and regenerative movements frame nature as a partner not a passive backdrop.

Compare:

• “Natural resources” vs. “living systems”

• “Harness the wind” vs. “Work with natural rhythms”

This subtle shift, supported by eco-linguistics, can reinforce more respectful, reciprocal relationships with the planet.

Corpus Linguistics: What the Data Shows

Using corpus linguistics (the analysis of large language datasets) researchers have identified clear shifts in climate discourse over time. These show how terms like “global warming” gave way to “climate crisis,” and how metaphor and framing shape public perception and policy engagement (Fløttum et al., 2014; Koteyko et al., 2010).

Their key findings include:

• Terms like “global warming” are declining; “climate crisis” and “climate justice” are on the rise

• “Net zero” dominates policy and corporate messaging, but lacks resonance with general audiences

• Stories with local impact and relatable agents (e.g., “farmers adapting to drought”) outperform global narratives (e.g., “Earth’s temperature rises 2°C”)

If your audience can’t see themselves in the story, they’ll walk out before the third paragraph.

So, How Should We Talk About Climate?

Here’s a quick linguistic checklist for persuasive sustainability messaging:

• Use gain-framed language (“live better,” “save money,” “protect what you love”

• Activate agency (“you can help,” “we are building solutions”)

• Localise and personalise (“in your neighbourhood,” “your children’s future”)

• Embrace inclusive metaphors (“stewardship,” “regeneration,” “belonging”)

• Avoid apocalypse fatigue (unless paired with clear, empowering calls to action)

  
  

Climate Action Starts With Conversation

Words won’t stop the ice caps from melting—but they can stop people from tuning out. If we want to shift behaviour at scale, we need to go beyond carbon stats and emissions charts.

We need to tell stories that people can see themselves in.

• Stories that connect

• Stories that compel

• Stories that move

  
  

Climate change communication is not just about getting the science right. It’s about getting the language right. 

The stakes are existential. But the tools? They start with what we say and how we choose to say it.