Glasshouse Partnership is here on behalf of one of our clients, discussing the role of agriculture as part of a climate solution.  (Agriculture is responsible for 14% of total emissions, more than the entire transport sector, yet better farm practices can help reduce carbon emissions and the amount of other resources, like water, used to grow the world’s food.)

Inside the convention center, it is truly a microcosm of the “global community” at large. From NGO representatives to businesspeople, policymakers to policemen, the task of communicating on climate change is fascinating to watch as it unfolds.

Here are some observations if you weren’t able to make it here yourselves:

• A COMMUNICATIONS MAELSTROM:  There are so many people here from all over the world that those who have not firmed up their communications strategies before arriving seem to be running to stand still.  Apparently, more than 25,000 conference hopefuls were turned back at the door this morning.  (We made sure to get some good coverage ahead of the conference in the Guardian, on the official COP15 website, and on sustainability blogs like justmeans.com to make sure our messages were being heard.)

• SHOCK TACTICS: Many civil society groups are attracting attention by staging public stunts within the conference centre itself.  There are singing polar bears, climate pirates, and people wearing masks of world leaders in various positions/costumes. (That’s quite a juxtaposition from the average delegate’s dress code.)  These tactics draw media interest, but risk aggravating decision-making delegates or sending the wrong message.  For instance, a recent shock advert (depicting polar bears falling from the sky) from Plane Stupid was widely criticised as unhelpful to the cause.

• COMMUNICATING TO DIFFERENT AUDIENCES: More than perhaps anything else, I have watched how a complex issue like climate change has been communicated to different audiences who have different interests and levels of knowledge.  Climate spans economic issues (subsidies/tax/trade, ‘green’ innovation, risk management) governance issues (who gets funding, who is the watchdog, who determines priorities, how carbon markets should be established), scientific issues (emissions targets, counting carbon, geo-engineering) as well as social issues (food security, rural livelihoods development, environmental sustainability, migration).  While it has been fascinating to hear different views on these subjects, some of the most compelling communications have been the simplest (for instance, “COP15: No Agriculture, No Deal”).  Getting this balance right makes communications so much easier.