Abstract

Political support is essential to climate action. But how do politicians think about climate, and how do they decide whether to speak up or act? At this session, I will discuss the findings of collaborative research between Green Alliance and Lancaster University.

The research uses analysis of political speech and detailed anonymised interviews with Members of the UK parliament, to build up a picture of how politicians see their role, plan their career and represent their voters – and how climate change fits (or doesn’t fit) within that picture. Based on these findings, I will suggest how climate advocates can best work with politicians to encourage better debate and action.

The work draws on Green Alliance’s Climate Leadership Programme for MPs, which since 2009 has worked to engage politicians in the science and policy of climate change.