Context – The Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord

The announcement of the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Accord was the most high profile moment for climate change in years, if not decades.

It was a largely missed opportunity to seize the moment to:

  • have climate leaders be very visible in the media
  • educate the public about the direct and dire consequences of climate change
  • help end the “debate” about climate change
  • provide clear calls to action to concerned citizens around organizing and mobilizing a response to the threats of climate change

 

While some leaders did effectively utilize the moment to create publicity around their individual responses – most notably, Mike Bloomberg, Al Gore, Jerry Brown, Elon Musk, and Emmanuel Macron – there was very little publicity generated around a coordinated national response, or specific ways for concerned citizens to respond.

Very fortunately, we have an opportunity with the widespread release in August of “An Inconvenient Sequel” – Al Gore’s sequel to “An Inconvenient Truth” – to organize and coordinate the high-level, nation-wide response that this issue deserves.

 

We cannot afford to miss this opportunity to capitalize on the media exposure, educational opportunity, and attention of the public.

 

Pursuing the strategies outlined in this plan will allow us to use the kindling that the movie release is providing to light a much larger fire that the whole climate movement, and all the stakeholders that are a part of it, can greatly benefit from.

Month For Action

We are setting the bar very high for the Month For Action with the intention that we will implement and execute as much as we possibly can based on the resources that come to the table, resonate with the plan, and make commitments to participate.

The idea is that the more ground we can take in August, the more that becomes possible for the Year For Action, building out the organizational infrastructure and providing the network of relationships that will allow us to be very ambitious for January, as well as better positioned to receive higher level support from corporations, foundations, etc., based on the success we achieved with very little ramp up time in August, providing confidence and commitment from major stakeholders about what we can accomplish with their resources and support given months of advance preparation.

(In this first go around, because of the limited time, we’re going to focus primarily on a handful of major contributors that are able to manage significant aspects of the project. The main objective for everyone else that doesn’t play a significant role is to get them plugged into our system so that they can more powerfully contribute towards the next Month for Action in six months.  After this Month for Action is complete, we will immediately turn our attention towards integrating and building technological systems that allow us to effectively manage more widely distributed resources so that everyone in the network can contribute to their maximum potential.)

 

  • calling for, and organizing specific actions around climate issues

 

This is a drill for the real work to come.

We’re building the infrastructure and lines of communications between organizations to create expanded results across wider segments of the population as described in the long-range plan.

Inspired by the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Accord.

Responding with the massive, organized, urgent response that addressing climate change requires.

 

In marketing, repetition is key, so getting the word out about Month for Action as much as possible this August helps people pay more attention the second and third time around.

Objective

Address climate change with the organized, coordinated, and urgent response required to preserve life as we know it.

Solution

Develop and execute a comprehensive plan that marshals resources across society to match the size and scope of the challenge.

Strategy

  • organize and coordinate the efforts of all climate stakeholders across all sectors of society
  • create a large-scale, ongoing climate movement that significantly increases public climate interest, education, and engagement
  • develop and execute a strategic plan to create the necessary shifts in:  consumer choices; governmental policies; investment influence; and corporate values
  • create positive feedback loops that effectively convert positive results into capacity-building growth for those taking the lead in driving a collective response

Month For Action – Action Plan

Major plan components:

  • organized watch parties for An Inconvenient Sequel – August 5th & 12th
  • engagement with congressional representatives on recess & candidates
  • nationwide, multi-city climate marches and rallies on August 19th
  • nationwide, multi-city, multi-issue town-hall-style gatherings on August 26th
  • the launch of the Year For Action – announcing plans for the year leading up to 2018 elections

Objectives

  • keep climate in the local and national news cycles for an entire month
  • educate the public about climate change
  • create awareness that dissent and protest is not enough; creating alternative options and taking action are required
  • get more of the public engaged
  • build capacity for participating climate organizations
  • coordinate operations amongst stakeholder to create greater efficiency and effectiveness
  • create greater collective results than any individual stakeholders could create on their own
  • create more social capital for advocates of climate issues
  • provide more political cover for politicians taking the lead on climate change
  • make climate change a non-partisan issue
  • encourage corporations be more engaged in their support of climate issues
  • create high-visibility campaigns across all media:  television, radio, magazines, social media, etc.
  • have celebrities and public influencers leverage their influence to increase public support for climate issues, and make it “trendy” to support climate issues

Action #1 – Go to MonthForAction.com

All climate stakeholders will mobilize their networks with our first call to action:

“With the release of An Inconvenient Sequel, and national climate marches, rallies, and gatherings scheduled throughout the month, go to MonthForAction.com to be a part of this transformational moment for humanity.”

On MonthForAction.com, people are engaged via:

  • a searchable map and calendar that includes:
    • An Inconvenient Sequel watch parties/strategy sessions on August 5th & 12th
    • opportunities for engagement with elected officials throughout the month
    • March For Action and Rally For Action events on August 19th
    • Gathering For Action events on August 26th
  • a searchable directory and map of participating stakeholders
  • calls to action:
    • attend the Events For Action during the Month For Action
      • Watch For Action
      • Rally For Action
      • March For Action
      • Gather For Action
    • get educated via provided Resources For Action
    • share MonthForAction.com with friends

Action #2 – Go to a Watch For Action – An Inconvenient Sequel Watch Party

At Watch For Action, people are engaged via:

  • An Inconvenient Sequel movie content
  • flyer distribution and stakeholder representatives speaking about:
    • the coalition of stakeholders coming together around the Month For Action to address climate change
    • the strategic plan driving the Month For Action
    • the importance of everyone’s participation
    • what is happening during the Month For Action
      • upcoming March For Action and Rally For Action events in the area
      • upcoming Gathering For Action events in the area
      • opportunities for engagement with elected officials
  • calls to action:
    • sign up on the spot
    • go to MonthForAction.com
    • attend Events For Action during the Month For Action:
      • March/Rally For Action
      • Gather For Action
    • get educated via provided Resources For Action
    • share MonthForAction.com with friends
    • get engaged with presenting stakeholders

Action #3 – Go to a March/Rally For Action event

At March/Rally For Action, people are engaged via:

  • the announcement of the launch of the Year For Action at the Gathering For Action events
  • featured speakers:
    • elected and government officials
    • climatologists
    • celebrities
    • representatives from major stakeholders/organizers
  • featured artists:
    • musicians
    • visual artists
    • dancers
  • featured sponsors
  • food trucks
  • flyer distribution and stakeholder representatives speaking about:
    • the coalition of stakeholders coming together around the Month For Action to address climate change
    • the strategic plan driving the Month For Action
    • the importance of everyone’s participation
    • personal actions that people can take
    • collective actions that people can take
    • what is happening during the Month For Action
      • An Inconvenient Sequel
      • upcoming Gathering For Action events in the area
      • opportunities for engagement with elected officials
  • calls to action:
    • sign up on the spot
    • go to MonthForAction.com
    • attend a Gathering For Action event
    • get educated via provided Resources For Action
    • share MonthForAction.com with friends

Action #4 – Go to a Gathering For Action event

At Gathering For Action, people are engaged via:

  • invitation to all elected officials to attend and declare their commitments around major issues
    • hand outs with voting records of all elected officials around major issues
    • Q & A with elected officials regarding issues
  • representatives from major stakeholders presenting the Year For Action national and local strategies
    • breakout sessions with major stakeholders
  • calls to action:
    • sign up on the spot
    • go to YearForAction.com
    • share YearForAction.com with friends
    • next steps with major stakeholders
    • follow up with elected officials and candidates

Action #5 – Stay engaged via YearForAction.com

On YearForAction.com, people are engaged via:

  • information and ways to get involved in major events in the coming year:
    • January 20, 2018 – Nationwide, multi-city, multi-issue Rallies For Action
    • February, 2018 – organized follow-up Gatherings For Action
    • August, 2018 – Month For Action – focus on all issues and November 2018 mid-term elections
    • August 4th – Nationwide, multi-city, multi-issue Rallies For Action in arenas and stadiums
    • August 18th – Nationwide, multi-city, multi-issue Gatherings For Action
  • searchable map and calendar for:
    • upcoming meetings and events of participating stakeholders
  • searchable directory and map of participating stakeholders
  • calls to action:
    • stay engaged with stakeholders
    • be a part of and help build up the January 20, 2018 March/Rally For Action
    • be a part of and help build up the February 2018 Gathering For Action
    • share YearForAction.com with friends