With its diversity and complexity, a population of over 1.4 billion, and a fast-growing economy, India stands at the forefront of climate-related challenges and solutions. Over the years, India has faced increasingly visible and frequent climate impacts. What were once isolated incidents of droughts, flooding, heat waves, and erratic snowfall are now becoming a regular pattern. India faces the enormous challenge of balancing its ambitious growth vision with its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. Managing this complex but critical journey requires not only enabling policies, financial and other resources but also active and committed participation by all actors of society. Here, climate communication comes in as a critical enabler to bridge the gap among awareness, alignment and action, fostering a shared understanding, commitment and collective progress toward a sustainablefuture.
The centrality of climate science in crafting solutions cannot be overstated, but the challenge lies in its accessibility. It often seems daunting because it is too technical and, therefore, irrelevant because it is not relatable to our everyday contexts. This gap between scientific knowledge and actionable insights can greatly deter progress. This is where climate communication serves as a pathway in translating complex data and technical jargon into relatable messages that inform policy decisions and encourage public engagement. For policymakers, communicators can frame climate action as a way of achieving broader goals. For example, rising temperatures, erratic monsoons, and extreme weather events directly affect agriculture, public health, and economic stability — issues central to India’s development agenda that resonate with national priorities. Simplifying these connections empowers decision-makers to design evidence-based policies and interventions while advancing public understanding, support and accountability.
Moving from awareness to action demands a paradigm shift in how climate change is perceived. One of the biggest challenges for a country as vast as India is the enormous task of shifting public perception towards climate change and making it relatable or personal enough for people to want to care about it. Despite increasing awareness, many Indians still perceive climate change as a distant threat, disconnected from their daily lives. This perception gap undermines the urgency of action. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a critical call to action through a public movement initiative — Mission LiFE — to mobilise individuals to become “Pro-Planet People” and for the journey towards sustainability to start with themselves. However, for it to truly take effect, there is a clear need for effective communication to recast climate change as an immediate and personal challenge.
Media and storytelling, especially through social media, play transformative roles in bridging this gap. However, much of India’s media coverage or even social media conversations on climate issues remains episodic, peaking during crises or international summits. To sustain public engagement, communicators must craft narratives that resonate beyond these moments. Everyday stories of resilience, innovation, and personal lifestyle choices, be it farmers adopting sustainable practices, communities reducing the use of plastic or recycling their waste, or youth advocating for renewable energy, need to be told, illustrating both the challenges and the potential solutions, making the climate crisis relatable and actionable, immediate, and tied to everyday choices.
However, communicating with the public in India is not as simple and easy as it seems. India’s diversity is both its strength and its challenge. The vast differences in language, culture, and geography mean that a one-size-fits-all approach to climate communication is ineffective. A hyperlocal focus in climate communication is the key. Tailoring narratives to reflect region-specific challenges — such as drought in arid areas, flooding in coastal regions, or air pollution in urban centres — ensures that the messaging and the approach not only connect to daily realities but also inspire localised action.
Inclusivity in climate communication is more than an ethical consideration — it is a strategic necessity. Marginalised communities, which are most vulnerable to climate impacts, often have the least access to information and resources. Communication strategies must account for this disparity, ensuring that every individual, from urban professionals to rural farmers, is part of the dialogue.
Catering to varied age groups is critical when choosing platforms to disseminate messaging. For example, younger audiences, such as Gen Z and Gen Alpha, need tailored strategies with creative, interactive content that aligns with their digital-first lifestyles. Public awareness campaigns through media, radio, TV, and social media, community workshops, cultural events, regional cinema and so on can build climate literacy for adults depending on what they relate to the most. To inspire widespread support, climate communication must emphasise the co-benefits ofclimate action.
As India navigates the complexities of climate action, effective communication will play a pivotal role in shaping both public perception and policy outcomes. By translating technical science into actionable insights, reframing narratives to make them personal, and tailoring messages for diverse audiences, climate communication can catalyse the behavioural, societal, and systemic changes needed to build resilience. From inspiring grassroots action to driving public engagement, campaigns like those by Singapore’s Biogirl MJ, who simplifies climate concepts through entertaining online content, and India’s Move to Minus 15°C, promoting healthier, renewable energy solutions, showcase the power of creative communication. Similarly, India’s Faces of Climate Resilience brings personal climate adaptation storiesto the forefront, while Sri Lanka’s Coral Reef Initiative connects conservation efforts to economic and cultural narratives. These initiatives demonstrate how relatable storytelling and tailored communication can transform complex climate challenges into awareness and collective, actionable solutions.
Climate communication must be designed to reach everyone — from urban tech-savvy youth to rural farmers, from policy influencers to marginalised communities. It must educate, empower, and inspire action at all levels of society. For India, where diverse communities stand at the frontline of these impacts, communication is more than a tool — it is a catalyst for a sustainable and resilient future.
