Current Projects

To help groups build successful communication strategies and public engagement campaigns, the Social Capital Project runs pilot projects, conducts research, provides trainings, and offers technical and consulting services. The following is a snapshot of our current activities:

Practitioner Network

Climate Access is a network for practitioners to acquire the latest research, polling trends, and emerging ideas on climate change communications and behavior change. Climate Access also provides context for how these theories and public opinion data can be applied in practice.  As a dynamic practitioner network, Climate Access offers peer-to-peer exchanges, dialogues with experts in the field, trainings, and online tutorials to explore best practices and models for motivating the public to support climate policies and climate-friendly behaviors. To build this exciting new learning network, the Social Capital Project has partnered with the Rutgers Initiative on Climate and Social Policy and David Suzuki's Stonehouse Standing Circle.

Training Programs

• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

On June 30th, Cara Pike presented findings from the Social Capital Project's American Climate Attitudes report as part of a webinar series hosted by AASHTO on climate change and energy issues. The webinar, "Who's Saying What About Climate Change and Energy These Days?" also featured Emil Frankel from the Transportation Research Board and Rebecca Geyer of Missouri DOT.

Pilot Project

• Conservation International

Since the spring of 2010, the Social Capital Project has been helping Conservation International (CI) develop a new organizational narrative that reflects the group’s shift from a mission focused on protecting species and wild places to one aimed at ensuring people-focused conservation and green economic development. The Social Capital Project is supporting this transition by providing strategic communications and public engagement assistance. We are also working with CI to develop strategies for growing their base of support through the development of highly tailored campaigns and an expanded online program.

Technical Services

The Oregon Global Warming Commission is launching its "Roadmap to 2020" project. The Roadmap will provide recommendations for meeting the state's 2020 greenhouse gas emission reduction goal of 10% below 1990 levels and plans for building a clean-energy based state economy over the next decade. The Social Capital Project is providing the Commission with strategic framing and messaging recommendations, which include the development of surveys and community workshops.

Research

Understanding how public opinion trends have evolved over time allows for a more measured perspective on short-term spikes and dips in the polls. With an analysis of long-term public opinion trends on global warming, the Social Capital Project provides practitioners with a long-range perspective on recent shifts in public opinion and offers research-based recommendations for communications and outreach strategies. The report, American Climate Attitudes, was released in May 2011 and is available for download.

Interest in climate adaptation is growing within the practitioner community.  What are the best ways to communicate with the public about preparing for projected climate impacts?  How can adaptation and mitigation strategies coexist? The Social Capital Project is developing a report that explores these questions and tracks the current climate adaptation conversation in the media and among experts. 

The Social Capital Project is interested in partnering with researchers and organizations who would like to see public polling and cognitive work done on climate adaptation communications. Contact Cara Pike to coordinate efforts.