The best way to turn your ideas into action is to prepare a communication plan. Every plan will be different; after all, designing a brochure is a much simpler process than running a national advertising and promotional campaign. The model below summarizes the basic and practical steps for planning any form of communication. The glossary at the end of the guide will help you with any terms you don’t know.
- In Austria, the government campaign Das gett’s Nachhaltig is engaging with retailers to promote ethical consumption through product promotion and the launch of new eco-friendly products.
- In Brazil, the Ministry of Health is involving the private sector in innovative ways to expand its national campaign Não deixe a dengue estragar o seu verão (Don’t let dengue ruin your summer) to eliminate dengue fever (a disease).
- Canada’s Clean Air Day, launched by the government, provides an effective focus for innovative activities such as the web-based Commuter Challenge related to sustainable transportation.
- In Costa Rica, the methyl bromide campaign uses participatory workshops supported by high-profile media coverage and policy change to combat the destruction of the ozone layer caused by pesticides.
- The French Environment and Energy Management Agency is combating climate change with Economies d’énergie.
- The Greek government is organizing meetings and hosting a network to help develop partnerships to improve the decision-making process regarding water resource management in the Mediterranean region.
- Next, we head to Hungary, where an exhibition is being held that is the focus of a major campaign against the trafficking of endangered species at the national airport.
- In Ireland, we found the national sustainable development partnership working on new training for sustainable development tools and methodologies.
- New Zealand addresses waste, air pollution, and energy use at the individual level through its The Big Clean Up campaign, using advertising, direct mail, and commercial incentives.
- The Polish Eco-Media Forum provides a common ground for everyone involved in environmental education to come together and participate in a series of interactive activities.
- In South Africa, the Cleanest City Competition seeks the city that has best developed its local environment and has the best waste management infrastructure.
- In Spain, the Ministry of the Environment’s Campana de Comunicacion sobre Desarrollo Sostenible is using a three-stage advertising campaign to raise awareness of sustainable development.
- The evidence-based Swedish Climate Campaign aims to increase knowledge about climate change science and convince “slumbering community activists” that solving the problem does not require too much effort.
- The UK government will make sustainable development relevant to staff through a package of innovative interactive tools, thereby improving communication with the public.
- Finally, we heard about a new educational radio drama series called My Homeland in Vietnam that reaches farmers across the country and addresses issues related to the misuse of pesticides.
Case studies show a bias towards environmental issues rather than social or economic ones. This reflects the information voluntarily provided by national and local authorities. It raises the question of whether environmental issues are easier to communicate or whether social and economic issues are given greater policy weight; more research is needed to determine this.
Summary information on these projects and a 68-page report:
