South East Climate Change Partnership
Communication Strategy 2006-09
October 2006
South East Climate Change Partnership
Communication Strategy 2006-09
1.
Introduction
Effective communications is essential to the success of the South East Climate Change
Partnership (the ‘Partnership’). Although people in general are becoming more aware
of climate change and the impact it has and could have in future decades, we cannot
be complacent about the amount of work that needs to be done to take the necessary
actions now. The Partnership, established in 2001, has an important role to fulfil in
facilitating its Partners and other organisations to help achieve this. This strategy has
been developed by the Communications working group. It covers the period 2006-09 in line with the Partnership’s three year work programme – but will be reviewed
annually and will be complemented by an annual communications action plan.
The Mission of the Partnership is to “Investigate, inform and advise on the threats
and opportunities arising from the impacts of climate change in South East England
and to promote adaptive planning in the region.” Adaptive planning will help us to
reduce the risks of climate change to our social, economic and environmental
wellbeing.
SECCP’s vision is: “For the South East to be a region
 Where organisations & individuals are committed to building the capacity for social,
economic and environmental systems to adapt to the changing conditions that
climate change represents
 Which provides leadership in developing the responses that are urgently required
at local, regional, national and international levels.”
These changing conditions include the need to reduce the region’s emissions (and so
minimise long-term climate change) as well as to improve the region’s resilience to
unavoidable climate change now and in the future.
2.
Aim and objectives of the communication strategy
This communication strategy aims to support delivery of the Partnership’s work
programme. It defines the focus for communications activities from October 2006 to
September 2009. The strategy includes the Partnership’s communications objectives,
audiences, key messages and communications mix and discusses the roles of the
communications working group and of Partners.
It is important that all Partners sign up to the strategy and help to ensure that the
Partnership is able to deliver it. The Partnership also intends its communications to be
complementary to and supportive of Partners’ own communications on climate change
issues and this strategy is offered as a framework for Partners to use and adapt.
Communication strategy objectives:
 Raise awareness of climate change issues among our key audiences
 Position the Partnership as the authority on climate change in the South East
and as a key resource for organisations
 Ensure efficient and effective two-way communications within the Partnership
and encourage best practice in exchange of information
 Develop key messages about climate change and ensure uptake by Partners
 Produce integrated and co-ordinated communications activities
 Influence regional, national and European networks and stakeholders in support
of the Partnership’s work
SECCP Communications working group, October 2006
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South East Climate Change Partnership
Communication Strategy 2006-09
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3.
Assist in recruiting new Partners.
Target audiences
The principal audiences for the Partnership communications are policy makers,
decision makers and practitioners in organisations within the region or which affect the
region’s ability to respond positively to climate change issues. However, as time moves
on, the Partnership needs to broaden its reach to other audiences (e.g. education and
the general public) to reflect its position as the lead authority on climate change in the
region.
Our audiences are both internal and external and will be prioritised as appropriate,
according to the messages we need to convey at any time and the audiences that
these organisations can influence (including the general public):
Internal
 Our Partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors
 Our President and Patron
 Our Executive Committee and working groups
 Our Sector Groups
 Our Staff
External
 Potential Partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors - e.g. local
authorities, national bodies, public agencies, businesses, social, economic and
environmental non-profit organisations etc
 Government and Parliament
 Inter-regional – e.g. climate change partnerships in other parts of the UK
 Research institutes and universities
 Trade associations
 Professional bodies and networks
 International – e.g. the EU and appropriate organisations across Europe,
including the South East’s officers and representatives in Brussels
 Media
4.
Key messages
The Partnership’s key messages are central to our communications activities. These
messages may be helpful to Partners in their own communications and should be used
at all times by Partners when acting on behalf of the Partnership.
Messages on the Partnership are:
 The South East Climate Change Partnership is an independent authority on
climate change in the South East.
 The South East Climate Change Partnership is a membership organisation made
up of public, private and voluntary sector organisations working together to ensure
the region is prepared for the impacts of climate change.
 The South East Climate Change Partnership seeks to provide up to date
information and advice to Partners and other stakeholders – and also draws on
their experience and information.
SECCP Communications working group, October 2006
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South East Climate Change Partnership
Communication Strategy 2006-09
 The South East Climate Change Partnership’s principal focus is on climate
change impacts and adaptation and on building capacity within the region to
respond – while recognising the opportunities and urgent need for mitigation.
Messages on climate change:
 Climate change is happening now due to the legacy of past emissions and will
continue for many decades, whatever action is taken now to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions. Some change is now unavoidable.
 Climate change is the result of both natural and human causes, and there is
clear evidence that human causes are increasingly important.
 The level of global climate change we expect this century is unprecedented.
 It is essential that we increase efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases,
in order to reduce the scale of climate change beyond the next few decades and
help to avoid the risk of abrupt or dangerous climate change
 The level of short to medium-term greenhouse gas mitigation will help to determine
the level of adaptation required in the longer term.
 Unavoidable climate change will have greater impacts on the southern and
eastern areas than other areas of the UK. These will affect our economic, social
and environmental well-being.
 The impacts are likely to create some opportunities for specific sectors and areas,
although overall these are likely to be outweighed by the risks.
 Every organisation in the South East needs to use the best current understanding
of climate change in making decisions and plans that are likely to be affected by
its impacts
 Organisations need to work together to adapt to the likely impacts of climate
change.
It is important that these points are conveyed together as an integrated message about
the challenges that climate change presents to us all. It is also important that
communications recognise that providing information does not always lead to greater
awareness – and that increasing awareness can leave people with an overwhelming
feeling that the problem is too large or long term for their own actions to have any
effect, that it is too confusing, is already decided or is inherently intractable. Awareness
therefore needs to be developed alongside meaningful responses that help people
to make a positive difference – i.e. their sense of agency. The association between
individuals and organisations – which is a key aspect to what the Partnership offers - is
an important mechanism for building confidence in the messages that we are all
conveying and for supporting that sense of agency. Awareness, agency and
association are important components to communicating climate change, as is the
need to reflect on actions that are being taken.
Partners will wish to define their own messages about climate change, including ‘local’
challenges and solutions.
Sector groups will wish to define their own messages on the aspects of climate change
that are most relevant to their work.
5.
Communications mix
Communication methods that exist or will be developed through this strategy include:
Publications (printed and/or electronic)
SECCP Communications working group, October 2006
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South East Climate Change Partnership
Communication Strategy 2006-09
1. Membership pack – introduction pack for new Partners to ensure
understanding of its role, consistency in messages and use of information (e.g.
a CD with fact sheets, case studies, presentations, key quotes, images,
membership directory, endorsements of the Partnership, this communications
strategy, guidance notes, logo and house style guidelines etc).
2. Fact sheets & leaflets – to help promote the Partnership, summarise its work
and provide up to date information.
3. Case studies - specific examples of good practice that may be of benefit to
others.
4. Guidance notes - information that contains practical advice, working examples
of agency for managing change and decision-support tools to help
organisations to respond to climate change issues
5. Policy papers - formal statements by the Partnership on regional, national or
EU policy areas relevant to climate change.
6. Reports - presenting the findings and recommendations of research and
demonstration projects.
Events
7. Events - Meetings, workshops, seminars and the AGM and Annual Forum:
opportunities to exchange information and experiences with others and to
develop practical relationships on aspects of climate change.
Internet
8. Website –The key public face of the Partnership and a platform for other
communications products.
9. Email - Principal means of updating Partners and others on relevant news,
activities, opportunities and requests for information or support.
Visuals
10. Presentations - PowerPoint resources and delivery by the Partnership or
individual Partners to local audiences.
11. Displays - Banners that engage delegates or visitors on key aspects of climate
change and the Partnership’s work.
12. Video / other formats - Resources for use at events or for dissemination
directly to key audiences.
Other
13. Media relations - Press releases and articles for use by general and
professional publications.
14. Networking - Opportunities for individuals within Partner organisations to build
association and engage on climate change issues and the Partnership’s work.
15. Recruitment campaigns - Targeted mailing / advertising / media relations to
key sectors to increase membership.
6.
Communications working group involvement
Annex 1 provides the terms of reference that the Executive Committee has agreed for
the Communications working group. The group will co-ordinate communications with
the Partnership’s key audiences, in conjunction with the Partnership’s staff. This coordinating role includes:

Identifying opportunities for communications;
SECCP Communications working group, October 2006
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South East Climate Change Partnership
Communication Strategy 2006-09
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Agreeing the house style for communications and guidelines for
communication methods;
Scheduling and ensuring consistency in the Partnership’s communications;
Developing, reviewing and evaluating communications, as appropriate;
Supporting sector groups and the Annual Forum working group in developing
their communications activities
Reporting to the Executive Committee on communications activities and
issues.
Partners’ involvement
Individual Partner organisations have an essential role in developing and delivering the
communications activities of the Partnership – and can benefit from the involvement of
others. Partners’ contributions and opportunities include:
What Partners can contribute
What Partners can gain

Information for use in Partnership
communications (e.g. news, case
studies, documents etc)

Access to a growing resource of
examples and ideas from other
Partners

Resources for use in Partnership
communications (e.g. printing
services, photos or photographic
services, PR expertise, mailouts etc)
Notice of new opportunities for
Partnership communications (e.g.
Partners’ own events, publications etc)
Promotion of the Partnership’s work
and key messages to their own
audiences, including links to the
Partnership’s website

Materials that have been produced at
lower cost to the Partnership and
which can be used by Partners

Materials and expertise to support
Partners’ own communications.

Confidence among audiences that
climate change messages have been
developed with others, drawing on the
best available information

Commitment to use tools developed or
supported by the Partnership in their
own communications

Common tools for use without the
need for duplication and diversion of
resources

Feedback on communications
activities and issues relating to climate
change (e.g. press cuttings) –
including on the use of tools
developed by the Partnership

Continuous improvements to the
materials and tools that are available
for Partners
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SECCP Communications working group, October 2006
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South East Climate Change Partnership
Communication Strategy 2006-09
Annex 1: Terms of reference for Communications working group
1
Introduction
The Executive Committee have agreed that a small working group of Executive
and other Partners should meet to provide a co-ordinated response to all
communications issues relating to the Partnership.
2 Roles
2.1
To draft a Communications Strategy for approval by the Executive which will
provide the overarching strategy for the work of group
2.2
To integrate key communications activities into the Work Programme in the
form of a Communications Action Plan
2.3
To advise and recommend a budget specifically for Communications activities
to the Executive, which will be controlled by the Communications group but
with reference to the Executive Committee.
3
3.1
Membership
Ideally, the membership of this group will consist of at least 6 representatives
from partner organisations and should contain at least:
 1 Executive Committee member (who will normally Chair the group to
better facilitate exchanges between the Executive Committee and the
Communications group)
 1 public relations professional from one of the partner organisations
 A UKCIP representative
 The Partnership’s Programme Manager.
4 Meetings
4.1
These will be arranged as required but it is expected that the group would meet
no less than twice a year and no more then six times a year. Additional
telephone, email or postal communications will be arranged as necessary.
4.2
Meetings will, as far as practicable, be on the same day as Executive
Committee meetings or other key meetings to avoid unnecessary travel for
some members attending both meetings.
SECCP Communications working group, October 2006
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