Our research found that people from a range of different backgrounds (including conservatives and trade union members) responded positively to a narrative about climate change that focused on standing up for the "things people love" that are threatened by climate change.
However, there is a vacuum where a compelling conservative narrative on climate change should be – something which the report, entitled A new conversation with the centre-right about climate change, takes the first steps towards addressing.
If the centre-right does not develop an effective and coherent narrative on climate change, then everyone has a problem.
But the US and Chinese moves are also distinctly unambitious for political reasons: Leaders continue to be mired in a mistaken narrative about climate action leading to job cuts and costing enormous sums.
The mainstream narrative on climate change decrees that if we can get the urgent political agreements in place, and produce enough turbines and electric cars quickly enough, we can "stabilise the climate" and carry on as before.
Not only do they chip away at the public's trust in businesses to act in good faith (and in accordance with the law), they also play into a wider sceptical narrative: the climate scientists are cooking the books to get grant funding, the campaigners are exaggerating the risks to rake in supporter income, and the private sector is using greenwash to keep the profits rolling in.
Creating a common narrative around climate change has been a challenge.
We need to find ways culturally to change the narrative around climate change.
"From that perspective, the true narrative of climate change isn't some small, local drama of Democrats vs. Republicans, or business interests vs. environmentalists," Frank wrote.
