Crisis Communications Network Sustainability Event
PR Professionals at the Cutting Edge of Communicating the Climate Change Crisis
The climate crisis is surely the biggest crisis currently facing humanity. It clearly requires huge behavioural change on the part of both people and nations. This is a time for the Public Relations profession to make a difference like no other.
The Crisis Communications Network will be bringing together to share their experiences two PR professionals who spend a good deal of their time working to make that behavioural change happen and, in the case of one, deploying classic crisis emergency response communications for the occasions when it is too late.
Paul Cahalan is a former national newspaper journalist who is now Head of Communications at Chapman, a leading design consultancy specialising in building services engineering and environmental design. Chapman have long championed the integration of environmental principles throughout the building design process.
Paul’s role has been one of persuading the construction industry of the importance of engaging with the climate change agenda. Given that about 40 per cent of carbon emissions in the UK is accounted for by the built environment the role of communicators such as Paul is vital.
Sharon Bleese has spent much of her career working in the environment industry. Today she manages communications for Coastal Partnership East, a partnership of four local authorities working along the Norfolk and Suffolk coast: North Norfolk District Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and East Suffolk Council.
Sharon’s role is one of persuading stakeholders to understand the impact climate change is having on our changing coastline. As the temperature increases sea levels rise and communities are put at risk. Sharon too has been at the sharp end of communicating to flooded communities deploying all the crisis communication techniques that come with the need to evacuate and save lives.
The session will be Chaired by Chris Tucker, Chair of the CIPR Crisis Communications Network.