When facts alone are not enough and emotions play a significant role, the challenges facing environmental communicators grow. That is why Environmental Communication Day invites participants to reflect, share experiences, and gain new perspectives—drawn from both research and practice. In this article, you’ll hear from researcher Maria Johansson and practitioner Nina Steiner, who share their perspectives on this year’s theme and explain why this forum is needed.

Different perspectives on the politics of disagreement were explored at the Environmental Communication Conference in April. The conference brought together over 100 researchers, communicators, policymakers, civil society actors and engaged citizens.  

Welcome to the Environmental Communication Day 2026—a practice-oriented forum where participants’ experiences, insights, and challenges play a central role. This year, we are focusing on the interplay between emotions, knowledge, and conflicts in the design of environmental communication.

How do the stories we tell influence our perception of nature? At Biotopia, a museum about Uppland’s nature, Maria Brandt works with storytelling to create positive outdoor experiences for people. Together with professional storytellers and researchers, she explores how stories about carnivores such as wolves and bears can be crafted in new ways that create impact.

What does it mean to portray nature in a meaningful way, and what defines good or bad nature photography? During 2025, Wikimedia Sweden and researchers from the programme delved deeper into this. Eric Luth, project leader at Wikimedia Sweden, shares his insights from the collaboration.