The cXc climate storytelling formula

Our research has demonstrated that when communicating the climate crisis in a way that doesn’t alienate audiences, the most effective stories demonstrate the following journey of engagement: 

Crisis + solutions + Hope + Action = Maximum Communication Impact 

To help journalists achieve this, we have created a story formula called IMERCS. We believe these to be the ingredients of a successful climate story, and encourage our members to implement them in their work. 

Inspiring

Craft immersive, original content that is affecting and actionable in equal measure, and inspires conscious living.

Climate editorial doesn’t need to be doom-centric. Create the demand for climate responsible behaviours at a cultural level and inspire habits by showing audiences the personal benefits—as well as telling them why. Don’t rely on panic to get a click: choose fascination and curiosity as a way to get audiences on side, rather than give them a piece of content that simply answers a question, then prompts them to disengage. 

‍Memorable

Tell stories that linger and create action that becomes habit and impact

We all repeat things we learn in the news—but particularly if they are memorably framed. Crafting unusual analogies or metaphors that go the extra mile to visualise issues using in a way that strikes a chord with everyday people is a skill long favoured by journalists when breaking down complex issues. The climate crisis is no exception, but all too often climate storytelling fails to engage audiences on this level—instead using metrics and imagery all too commonly used in the communication of this subject. One climate story becomes indistinguishable from the next, and so on. A gap exists for work that transcends these stereotypes.  

‍Empowering

Arm your audience to understand ‘why’—and with solutions to make a positive change

Actionism from journalism is difficult to achieve. But the smallest piece of information can create measurable change in the way we behave and interact. Climate culture is the acceptance of climate change as part of our daily lives, and the adoption of climate-conscious living as a necessity. Cultural climate journalism is the reflection of this in our wider discourse, and its responsibility becoming a part of the stories we love to write, and we know our audiences love to read.  

Relatable

Create content that readers can identify with on subjects they engage with in their day-to-day lives. Use familiar frames of reference, numbers that mean something and outcomes anyone can understand.

‘Meeting audiences where they are at on climate’ is a phrase often used to illustrate what is essentially speaking to a group of people about environmental issues using frames they can immediately relate to their lifestyles and interests, in terms they can understand. This relatability is critical to helping audiences see the many ways in which climate issues are relevant not just in terms of accessibility of information, but their relevance to daily life.    

Credible

Use balanced, unimpeachable information responsibly told, without agenda, from the best experts available.

Misinformation is on the rise, with an average of 58% of adults globally concerned about their ability to tell real information from misinformation and disinformation—rising to 73% in some major markets. Climate as a subject is prone to politicisation and confirmation bias as citizens seek to dovetail their aspirations with an enabling narrative—of which there are plenty. Ensuring journalism around the climate is rooted in factual, unbiased information from credible sources and fact-checked to the highest practical degree is critical in this environment where information can be misused, misinterpreted and shared at scale.    

Shareable

Design aspirational culture-first content that is social-friendly, delivers information fast and is amplified easily

Word of mouth in the shorthand of easily-deployed nuggets of information is important (see Memorable, above) but for scale, print and traditional online deployment has to hold its own on social media, too.  

Platforms such as Tiktok, Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube now command around 54% of the news audience, rising above TV for the first time in 2025. Monitoring social behaviour trends and ensuring climate storytelling leverages each platform to its full potential is critical—not optional—for work to be successful. Sharing, as they say, is caring.