In her talk at the international “Communicating Climate Hope” conference, Eva-Maria McCormack, founder of Talking Hope and author of the Manifesto for Hope, advocated for a new social contract based on sustainability and social inclusion.

Her central message: We need to look beyond “climate” if we want to succeed in decarbonizing our way of life. Without taking diverse lived experiences into account, the path towards sustainable living conditions remains incomplete, as mobilization efforts won’t reach communities and groups that feel disadvantaged, unheard or overwhelmed by the transition. McCormack argued that the climate crisis is increasingly sidelined by the experience of polycrisis. As a result, fear of the future and loss of personal confidence, a declining trust in democracy and a growing perception of inequality jeopardize the transition to a sustainable future. She presented highlights of Talking Hope’s work and outlined how empowering visions of the future can turn hope into a driver for change and engagement. 

The talk was part of an inter- and transdisciplinary exchange between academia, civil society, and communication professionals, focused at creating new approaches to climate communication.