Building a wave of consensus for climate action - On climate communication, risk, and finding common ground

Climate change has become one of the most polarized topics of our time. But what if the problem is not the science itself, but the way we talk about it?In this episode of Matters of Consequence, Michael Hanf speaks with Kathleen Biggins, President and Founder of C-Change Conversations, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating science-based, nonpartisan dialogue on climate change. Since founding the organization in 2014, Kathleen has helped educate more than 23,000 people across 33 U.S. states through the acclaimed C-Change Primer, making climate science accessible, practical, and relevant to everyday life.Rather than framing climate change as an environmental or political issue, Kathleen explains why she approaches it as a question of risk management. Drawing on examples from business, public health, national security, and local communities, she shares how conversations can move beyond ideology by focusing on the issues people already care about: protecting their families, strengthening the economy, and preparing for the future.Together, Michael and Kathleen explore why climate communication has become so divisive, how respectful dialogue can overcome entrenched positions, and why creating social consensus may be just as important as developing new technologies. They also discuss what individuals, businesses, and communities can do to build momentum for meaningful climate action without deepening political divides.Why listen?Learn why framing climate change as a risk management challenge can create more productive conversations.Discover practical strategies for engaging audiences across political and ideological divides.Understand how climate change affects health, the economy, insurance, food systems, and national security.Explore why trust, local action, and personal agency are essential for building support for climate solutions.Gain insights into communicating complex scientific issues without overwhelming or alienating your audience.Whether you work in sustainability, business, public policy, communications, education, or simply want to have better conversations about climate change, this episode offers a practical and thoughtful perspective on one of the defining challenges of our time. Kathleen Biggins demonstrates that meaningful progress often begins not with winning an argument, but with creating the conditions for dialogue.Originally released as an episode of The Future of Sustainability, Season 1.Keywords: climate change, climate communication, Kathleen Biggins, C-Change Conversations, climate risk, climate action, climate leadership, sustainability, climate science, risk management, bipartisan climate dialogue, climate consensus, clean energy, renewable energy, climate education, climate policy, public engagement, environmental leadership, Future of Sustainability podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.