Practical Approaches to Framing Climate Initiatives for Councils and Senior Leadership

STAFF PEER NETWORK SESSION TO EXPLORE PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO COMMUNICATING AND POSITIONING CLIMATE INITIATIVES WITHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Across Alberta, many communities are in a period of renewal. New Councils have been established, strategic plans are being refreshed, and climate action plans are increasingly moving from planning to implementation. 

While this provides clarity on organizational direction, it also creates an ongoing challenge: advancing climate initiatives within already established priorities. Instead of shaping agendas from the outset, staff and administrations must position climate work within existing commitments, decisions, and resource constraints. 

Climate initiatives may struggle to gain traction internally if they are not clearly tied to Council goals or are seen as competing with other priorities. 

The upcoming Alberta Climate Leaders Staff Peer Network session will focus on practical, experience-based approaches to framing and communicating climate initiatives in ways that resonate with decision-makers. 

Participants can expect exercises to map the intersections between organizational priorities and climate initiatives, opportunities to learn from peers, and time to put communication approaches into action to craft their own messaging. 

Eligible municipal and Indigenous community staff are invited to register here: https://albertaclimateleaders.ca/peer-networks/staff/ 

From technical work to strategic framing

Local climate work is often grounded in technical analysis, data, and long-term planning. It does not always translate easily into decision-making contexts shaped by competing priorities, resource constraints, and political considerations. 

From previous Staff Peer Network sessions, several common challenges have emerged: 

• Framing climate initiatives in ways that clearly connect to Council priorities and strategic objectives 

• Translating technical reports and data into clear, compelling narratives and tangible outcomes 

• Balancing technical accuracy with accessible and audience-aware communication 

• Understanding what resonates with different audiences, including Council, senior leadership, and community stakeholders 

• Navigating limited communications capacity, resources, or internal support 

Many of these challenges are not unique to climate work. Municipal staff regularly communicate complex initiatives in areas such as infrastructure, finance, and service delivery. 

This session builds on that premise: many of the skills and approaches already used across municipal work can be adapted to strengthen how climate initiatives are framed and communicated.

Start with what matters to your audience

One practical approach to strengthening internal climate communications is to start with the priorities of your audience, rather than the technical details of the initiative. 

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities suggests that gaining Council support starts with understanding their current perspectives, motivations, and barriers, and then tailoring your approach accordingly. Tip sheet: Start building council momentum for climate adaptation 

For municipal staff, this can shift how climate work is positioned. Instead of leading with the technical case for action, it may be more effective to ask: 

• How does this initiative support current Council priorities? 

• What motivates decision-makers in this context? 

• What problem is Council already trying to solve that this initiative can help address? 

Climate initiatives are more likely to gain traction when they are framed as helping deliver priorities that already matter to decision-makers. 

Building internal momentum and alignment

Senior leadership support is critical because it provides a clear mandate and helps keep climate work aligned with broader community goals, helps to build understanding and sustain momentum over time. Tip sheet: Start building council momentum for climate adaptation 

Building that support can involve: 

• Understanding Council’s current awareness of and comfort with climate issues 

• Identifying what motivates Council members and the constraints they face 

• Framing climate risks in terms of impacts on priorities like public safety, economic stability, and infrastructure resilience 

• Embedding climate communications within existing communications channels and teams 

Meet decision-makers where they are by linking climate action to priorities such as: 

• Affordability and cost management 

• Economic development and competitiveness 

• Infrastructure planning and asset management 

• Community livability and quality of life 

• Public safety and resilience 

Reflect in advance

To support a focused and practical discussion, participants are encouraged to reflect ahead of the session: 

• Where are you currently finding it most challenging to communicate climate work internally? 

• What types of messages or framing seem to resonate most with your Council or senior leadership? 

• Thinking about Council priorities and motivations, where could your current work be reframed to better align? 

Can you think of an example where a complex initiative (climate-related or not) was communicated effectively in your organization? What made it work?