Climate Change Communication Strategy: A West Sussex Case Study

The purpose of this document is to develop a more systematic and effective approach to communicating climate change in West Sussex. The document draws on the experiences and lessons learned through climate change awareness raising projects in West Sussex, particularly those undertaken as part of the EU funded ESPACE (European Spatial Planning: Adapting to Climate Events) project, as well as DEFRA’s (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) National Climate Change Communications Strategy. The proposed strategy looks to how to communicate both the mitigation and adaptation agendas by providing a framework for delivering key messages on climate change issues to target audiences. This includes actions recommended to raise awareness of climate change and its impacts, and the communication of these actions. The aims of the proposed strategy are: to significantly raise the level of awareness of the community of the opportunities and threats brought about by climate change, and to accept their responsibilities to adapt to, and mitigate against its impacts; to provide advice and examples of best practice of how to communicate adaptation to climate change, and mitigation through reducing emissions.