Mistra Environmental Communication

Reframing Communication for Sustainability

Mistra Environmental Communication is a transdisciplinary research programme dedicated to examining how communication shapes sustainability transformations. Our work is critical and change-oriented: we advance a scientifically grounded understanding of how communication practices can contribute to efforts toward a sustainable future for people and planet. The programme is a close collaboration between researchers, government agencies, civil society organisations and cultural institutions. 

What is Environmental Communication?

Environmental communication refers to any communication about the environment, whether spoken, written and visual, direct and indirect, or formal and informal. It takes place all the time and everywhere, from casual conversations at the kitchen table to high-stake negotiations at COP meetings. The way we express ourselves and respond to each other shapes our understanding of the natural world, environmental problems, and human-nature relations, and ultimately, how we act upon these issues. This places the study of environmental communication at the center of sustainability efforts. The complexity and controversies of socio-environmental crises, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, highlight the need to identify and understand harmful communication patterns and develop communication approaches for constructive engagement and action for sustainability. 

What is Mistra Environmental Communication?

Mistra Environmental Communication is a transdisciplinary research programme dedicated to examining how communication shapes sustainability transformations. Our work is critical and change-oriented: we advance a scientifically grounded understanding of how communication practices can contribute to efforts toward a sustainable future for people and planet. The programme is a close collaboration between researchers, government agencies, civil society organisations and cultural institutions. 

What is Environmental Communication?

Environmental communication refers to any communication about the environment, whether spoken, written and visual, direct and indirect, or formal and informal. It takes place all the time and everywhere, from casual conversations at the kitchen table to high-stake negotiations at COP meetings. The way we express ourselves and respond to each other shapes our understanding of the natural world, environmental problems, and human-nature relations, and ultimately, how we act upon these issues. This places the study of environmental communication at the center of sustainability efforts. The complexity and controversies of socio-environmental crises, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, highlight the need to identify and understand harmful communication patterns and develop communication approaches for constructive engagement and action for sustainability. 

Video - About us

Reframing Communication for Sustainability

News

En tjej med långt, flätat regnbågsfärgat näshår som åker tunnelbana.

Näshår som filtrerar luftföroreningar – ironisk kampanj i Kina fick spridning

En miljökampanj i Kina väckte uppmärksamhet genom att visa en framtid där näshår vuxit sig långt för att skydda mot luftföroreningar. I en ny studie, som analyserar kampanjens framgång, visar forskare hur ironi kan användas som ett verktyg för att lyckas med miljökommunikation.

New paper: Citizens as consumers: styles of reasoning about agricultural biotechnologies and publics

Mistra Environmental Communication presents at the grand seminar: Exploring the complexities and potentials of environmental communication

Program Partners

Mistra Environmental Communication consists of a broad range of organisations from different societal fields.