#14 - Building a wave of consensus for climate action

How do you talk about climate change in a way that opens minds instead of shutting down conversations?

In this episode of the Future of Sustainability podcast, host Michael Hanf speaks with Kathleen Biggins, President and Founder of C-Change Conversations, a nonprofit dedicated to creating science-based, nonpartisan dialogue about climate change.

Since founding C-Change in 2014, Kathleen has led the development of the C-Change Primer, a widely acclaimed multimedia presentation that has reached more than 23,000 people in 33 states and abroad. Rather than presenting climate change as a partisan or abstract environmental issue, the Primer reframes it as a risk management challenge with tangible implications for our health, economy, and national security.

In their conversation, Kathleen shares why she founded C-Change Conversations after realizing that even friends, family, and colleagues lacked a clear understanding of climate risks. She explains how the organization developed strategies to "wake people up without turning them off" by grounding discussions in credible science, relatable examples, and the universal language of risk assessment.

Listeners will learn:

• Why climate change is best understood not as politics, but as physics, chemistry, and risk
• How different audiences respond to different entry points, from family safety and health to economic competitiveness and national security
• The evolution of the climate conversation in the United States, from denial to reluctant acceptance to concerns about cost
• How respectful engagement can transform skepticism into curiosity and open space for dialogue
• Why personal actions, when visible and shared, can be contagious and help build momentum for systemic change

Kathleen also discusses the challenges of working in polarized environments and highlights the importance of local action, personal agency, and community leadership. She argues that while global momentum toward clean energy is strong, the United States faces unique cultural and political headwinds that must be addressed through trust-building and consensus.

Throughout the episode, one theme stands out: nobody wants to sacrifice their children's future. By framing climate change as a matter of stewardship, risk, and opportunity, C-Change Conversations is helping to create the social will that can unlock the political will for meaningful action.

This episode is for anyone who has ever struggled to talk about climate change with colleagues, friends, or family, and for leaders looking to understand how to engage diverse audiences in one of the most important conversations of our time.

Tune in to hear how Kathleen Biggins and C-Change Conversations are building a wave of consensus for climate action.

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