Despite the visible consequences of climate change, there is widespread resistance to climate protection measures. GENIAL analyses the underlying counter-narratives and develops strategies for effective climate communication at the local level.

The implementation of ambitious climate policy is tied to far-reaching changes for the economy, lifestyles and society. Ambitious climate policy measures therefore frequently provoke resistance, which manifests in the form of delay discourses, counter-narratives or outright rejection. Despite the visible consequences of climate change in Austria, public support for wide-ranging measures has not increased of late.

The aim of this project was to develop concrete measures for dealing with climate protection counter-narratives and thereby increase the acceptance of climate policy measures. Building on this, practical communication strategies for the local context were developed. To this end, key challenges were identified together with municipal partners, focus groups were conducted with conservative-leaning target audiences, and scientific findings and project results were compiled in a practical guide.