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Moving from Data to Dialogue to Doing: Leveraging the Science of Communication for Climate Action

Name: Moving from Data to Dialogue to Doing: Leveraging the Science of Communication for Climate Action
Start: 2025-09-22T12:30:00-04:00
End: 2025-09-22T14:00:00-04:00

Climate Week NYC 2025

Location:
218 West 18th Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY

Date:
September 22, 2025

Time:
12:30pm to 2pm

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Session summary

What if we could move beyond awareness campaigns and start unlocking real climate action by changing how we talk about climate change? Research shows that effective communication, grounded in behavior science, can motivate action, but too often, climate messages fall flat.

This session will explore how climate communication research and behavior insights are transforming engagement strategies, shifting conversations from data-sharing to action-driving dialogue.

Panelists will share real-world examples from community programs, national research, and field-tested campaigns—including lessons from Massachusetts and beyond. They’ll also discuss barriers to scaling these approaches and how organizations can apply proven strategies to accelerate climate solutions at scale.

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Introduction to Research Behind Climate Conversations & Their Use

Speaker: Josh Low, Partnership Director, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Empirically Tested & Effective Use of Behavior Science to Spark Climate Action

Speaker: Dr Michael Hallsworth, Chief Behavior Scientist, BIT

Strategic Implementation & Lessons Learned from the Field

Speaker: Emily Susan Gaylord, Director of Communications & Market Evolution, CET

the panelists

Jeremy Abbate, Moderator

VP & Publisher of Scientific American

Jeremy A. Abbate is the VP & Publisher of Scientific American and its related titles. He is responsible for developing and executing new media programs, brand extensions, and collaborative ventures serving the international opinion leadership that turns to Scientific American for the best views of the future. He is the founder of the global biotechnology program, Scientific American Worldview.

Abbate appears regularly at conferences and events to facilitate high-level discussions on healthcare, innovative science, and technology, and has spearheaded co-branded partnerships with several international organizations, including TEDMED, CES, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and The Carter Center. Working to bring important scientific ideas into a dynamic media environment, he has led projects serving some of the world’s largest corporate organizations, including Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Philips, Amgen, BMS, and others.

His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Psychology Today, and other national publications. Abbate penned the forward to the popular medical travel guide, Patients Beyond Borders. He serves on several advisory committees in the life science and healthcare space, including BioFuture, Health Innovation for People (HI), and Bioethics International.

Joshua Low

Partnerships Director at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC)

Joshua Low is the Partnerships Director at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC). Joshua leads the YPCCC’s strategy for engaging and supporting the climate and clean energy advocacy, media, government, and education communities. He leverages a strong curiosity, evidence-based insights, and 20 years of experience leading social change campaigns to help organizations solve strategic challenges, clarify their goals, and develop the capacity for strategic climate communications and transformational organizing. Prior to YPCCC, he managed campaigns and led organizing efforts across the country that advanced bipartisan support for climate action, elected climate champions, and passed legislation that expanded access to clean energy. His passion for nurturing volunteers and empowering community leaders to lead on climate solutions underscores his deep experience scaling supporter recruitment, managing coalitions, and leveraging multichannel communications strategies.

Dr Michael Hallsworth

Chief Behavioral Scientist at BIT

Dr Michael Hallsworth is BIT’s Chief Behavioral Scientist. Before his current role, Michael was Managing Director of BIT Americas. For 20 years, he has worked as both an official and an advisor to various governments and has been a leading figure in applying behavioral science to address practical problems. He is the co-author of the book Behavioral Insights from MIT Press, and his new book, The Hypocrisy Trap, is out in 2025. His work has been published in The Lancet, the Journal of Public Economics, and Nature Human Behavior, and has more than 6,000 citations. Hallsworth has a PhD in behavioral economics from Imperial College London and is currently Distinguished Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. He has held positions at Princeton University, Columbia University, and Imperial College London

Antha N. Williams

Leader of the Environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies

Antha N. Williams leads the Environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. Under Williams’ direction, Bloomberg Philanthropies supports environmental initiatives to improve sustainability and air quality in cities around the world, to advance clean energy, to protect the ocean, and to help mobilize the private sector to accelerate the global transition.

Emily Gaylord

Director of Communications & Market Evolution at CET

Emily Gaylord is a senior leader at CET, where she leads strategy, communications, and partnerships that help scale climate solutions and maximize their impact. By shaping CET’s voice and driving outreach strategies, Emily has strengthened the organization’s ability to inspire over 75,000 people annually—from homeowners to small businesses to community institutions—to take practical action on climate. Her work has supported programs that prevented nearly 370,000 tons of CO₂ emissions in 2024 alone, ensuring that CET’s proven solutions deliver results where they matter most.

With more than a decade of experience in climate communications, Emily specializes in translating climate science into action by designing strategies that scale practical solutions, from decarbonizing small businesses and farms to reducing wasted food and advancing equitable access to energy efficiency.

Emily believes that effective communication is a climate solution in itself—essential for mobilizing action, building partnerships, and driving lasting change.

Melissa Hoffer

Massachusetts Climate Chief

Melissa Hoffer, Massachusetts’ first-ever Climate Chief, ensures that Massachusetts sits on the Governor’s Cabinet and that the climate remains a top priority for the state. Melissa joined the Biden Administration as a Day-1 political appointee, serving as the Acting General Counsel and Principal Deputy General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency. She led the EPA’s Office of General Counsel through the transition until November 2021, and continued to serve as Principal Deputy General Counsel. She received a JD from Northeastern University School of Law, a Certificate in Environmental Management from Tufts University, an MEd from the University of Massachusetts, and a BA from Hampshire College. In her spare time, she raises a small herd of Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats at her farm in Barre, Massachusetts.

About the Organizations

CET

CET helps people and businesses transition to a carbon-free future. With 50 years of experience, CET delivers practical climate solutions—reducing waste, preventing food loss, supporting building electrification, and scaling decarbonization across 18 states. Last year alone, CET helped avoid 365,000 tons of CO₂ emissions and diverted 40,000 tons of waste.

The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC)

The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication conducts scientific studies on public opinion and behavior, informs the decision-making of governments, media, companies, and NGOs, and educates the public about climate change.

behavioural insights team (BIT)

BIT is a global research and innovation consultancy that uses a deep understanding of human behavior to improve people’s lives. BIT partners with clients across the energy, transport, and environmental sectors to enhance green initiatives with behavioral insights and rigorous evaluation.

Scientific American

Scientific American is one of the oldest and most prestigious science magazines in the United States. Founded in 1845, it covers a wide range of topics including physics, biology, space exploration, health, and environmental issues. The publication is known for its in-depth articles written by experts in various fields, aimed at providing scientific insights to a general audience. It strives to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and the public, making complex topics accessible and understandable.

Scientific American is recognized for its commitment to accuracy and credibility, providing a trusted source of information for both scientific professionals and interested readers.

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September 22 @ 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm EDT

Moving from Data to Dialogue to Doing: Leveraging the Science of Communication for Climate Action