The Guide to Communicating Carbon Pricing

Evermore countries from all corners of the globe are putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions in order to speed up emissions reductions. While economists and policymakers broadly agree that carbon pricing has the potential to reduce emissions at low cost, support from industry, the public and across political parties varies widely. Indeed, a number of proposed carbon pricing policies have become subject to concerted attacks by opponents. Successfully communicating carbon pricing and its benefits is therefore critical to enabling ambitious carbon prices to not only be adopted, but to achieve the broad level of support they need to stay in place beyond election cycles.

The Guide to Communicating Carbon Pricing – being prepared by Climate Focus together with its partners, climate communications specialists Climate Outreach, public relations firm Fenton and the University of New Brunswick – will support policymakers in navigating the precarious terrain of successfully communicating their carbon pricing policies to the different audiences whose support is needed for the policy’s success.  Commissioned jointly by the Partnership for Market Readiness and the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, this tool will provide practical guidance on developing and testing narratives, understanding key sensitivities and developing a comprehensive communications strategy. Taking a holistic approach to communications, it will also address how to integrate communications considerations within the policymaking process, as well as how to integrate communication on carbon pricing within broader communications on climate, energy and fiscal policy.