Communicating with Newcomers about Climate Change

As climate change worsens, the number of displaced people across the world is expected to increase, and climate refugees and migrants will be looking to Canada to take them in. With an abundance of land and warming temperatures in the North, rural Canada could become a safe haven for climate migrants. Just like Canadians who have lived in Nova Scotia their whole lives, migrants are going to come in all shapes and sizes and with varied perspectives on climate change and climate action. How we communicate with them will mostly depend on which ‘persona’ they best align with. However, there are a few extra steps you could take to better communicate with migrant communities.

How might different migrants respond to climate change?

Migrants can be divided into two groups: immigrants and refugees. With refugees, communication about climate change could be challenging, as they can come from very different backgrounds and have different levels of knowledge. Many refugees have limited education and have lived with limited access to information—some might not know what climate change is. You might also see higher-educated refugees who will know what climate change is—some might be receptive to messaging and willing to take action, but others will have come from very different lifestyles where there is no waste collection and littering or garbage incineration are accepted social norms.

When we talk about migrants, we also have to think about where they’re coming from. Some might be from countries like the US or Australia where there is a sub-culture of climate skeptics. However, Canada prioritizes accepting the most educated people from other countries, and we know that there is a strong correlation between education levels and belief in climate change. This means it’s likely that immigrants arriving through the regular visa system will be fairly knowledgeable about climate change and receptive to climate messaging.

Similar to other personas in rural communities, many migrants live on lower incomes, so they might not be open to any climate action that would require spending more money. Though, they might differ from other community members as they might be more willing to sacrifice and spend a bit more this paycheck for longer-term savings.

For tips on how to communicate the health impacts of climate change, check out George Mason University’s climate change communication primer for public health professionals.