Climate change is a complex topic that requires specialized expertise. And reporting on it is no easy task, even for experienced journalists—especially if the goal is to do so in a way that is easy to understand, while avoiding oversimplifications and maintaining scientific rigor. It is a challenging task, but one that is necessary to inform the public about an issue critical to the future of humanity. Coming to the aid of media professionals is “Breaking Climate – The Climate That Makes the News,” a climate communication project dedicated to journalists and promoted by the University of Milan and Climate Media Center Italia (CMC) with the support of Fondazione Cariplo. This initiative is designed to shed light on the challenges (and solutions) of climate change and the ecological transition, with the aim of raising awareness and spurring climate action among individuals and communities. Breaking Climate comprises a range of resources, including briefings on specific topics such as “COP31: What You Need to Know”: a session held on October 27 aimed at training members of the press for the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference scheduled to take place in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20, 2026.
The Challenges of Climate Communication
“The idea for ‘Breaking Climate,’” explains Giorgio Vacchiano, coordinator of the Forest Lab at the University of Milan and president of Climate Media Center Italia, “stems from a previous initiative, Ok!Clima: the project—also supported by the Cariplo Foundation—offered training courses on climate and the environment for researchers, journalists, and educators. That project concluded in 2022, during which we identified several critical issues in climate communication. The narrative is often limited to specific events and is mostly confined to the “green” sections of newspapers, making the front pages only during heat waves, floods, or other particularly intense extreme events. The effects of global warming, however, impact everyday life by affecting the economy, current events, health, agriculture, and tourism. In fact, there is a lack of ability to ‘connect the dots’ between the climate crisis and the reality we all live and know—to describe the ecological transition as an opportunity to lower electricity and gas bills, have more affordable food, and breathe cleaner air for our health.”
“Furthermore,” Vacchiano continues, “the tone of these articles is often alarming and creates anxiety, mistrust, and a sense of helplessness. Some psychological studies consider this style counterproductive because it leads to rejection, inaction, and aversion to the topic. It’s too heavy a burden to bear. On the other hand, we could have a form of communication that is indeed data-driven but also capable of highlighting solutions and conveying emotions that help people understand and become more sensitive to environmental issues. This is an effective approach because it engages people and makes them eager to commit to improving their quality of life. Indeed, global warming should not be a narrative reserved exclusively for climatologists, but should also be addressed by anthropologists, sociologists, educators, economists, and urban planners. It is up to them to find solutions for a resilient society and, for example, to describe the benefits for the community and for human relationships of a sustainable city with parks, pedestrian zones, and widespread play areas—or one with low levels of traffic, noise, and pollution.”
Tools to Support Journalists
The theoretical goals of training are put into practice through a strategy to support journalists that includes a variety of tools. What unites them is a constructive narrative that places climate change within the context of everyday life and explains its causes, dynamics, effects, and, above all, solutions. These resources include a monthly newsletter and a weekly press review featuring a curated selection of news stories at the international, national, and local levels. These are complemented by resources on the website, such as in-depth analyses by experts on specific topics—including effective communication strategies—and an extensive collection of studies, reports, and research from the scientific community, as well as position papers and documents from institutions, companies, and international organizations. All of this is available in a single “place” and freely accessible.
A Scientific Community at Your Service
One of Breaking Climate’s most advanced tools is the network of experts made available to journalists: today it consists of 25 professionals, but is set to grow to 50 by the end of 2026 and to 200 over time. They include scientists, ecologists, doctors, engineers, technicians, lawyers, economists, and experts in communication and climate policy who can be contacted for an interview or consultation. These specialists and researchers also help gather statements on specific topics. It is also a valuable resource for tackling a challenging issue such as misinformation.
“The presence of conflicting news reports,” explains Vacchiano, “is often due to the tendency to polarize viewpoints and exploit information. Newspapers do this to attract like-minded readers; politicians do it to please voters within their own cultural sphere; and social media platforms are designed to reward radicalization. It’s an extremely difficult problem to tackle. To counter it, we try to raise awareness among those who set editorial policies, we connect journalists with experts, and, on the most controversial issues—such as nuclear power—we provide in-depth coverage where we give a voice to scholars with different points of view.”
A feature—like the others on Breaking Climate—that proves very useful not only for journalists but also for readers, who are often confused in a world of information overload where they encounter contradictory news stories that make the search for the truth difficult, especially if they lack expertise on the subject. The risk is giving in to the temptation to trust fake or misleading news simply because it aligns with one’s own views. This leads to being misinformed and, consequently, to behaviors that run counter to those necessary for the ecological transition.
A project supported by Fondazione Cariplo
Launched in March 2026, Breaking Climate will conclude in September 2027, although the intention is to continue the project over time, perhaps in partnership with universities or the scientific community, or with the support of a sponsor. The Cariplo Foundation, which is already actively involved in promoting the ecological transition on multiple fronts, is supporting the project for the first 18 months.
“Our climate action,” explains Federico Beffa, F2C Project Leader, “is based on three pillars of action, the most significant of which is the Climate Strategy Call for Ideas, created to facilitate the transition in local communities through adaptation and mitigation measures, for which over 20 million euros in funding has already been disbursed. Breaking Climate falls midway between the other two strands—one dedicated to communication and awareness-raising activities and the other focused on supporting studies and research—as it aims to improve climate storytelling and is carried out by qualified experts and researchers. Accurate information is a topic we consider essential for keeping the spotlight on an issue that is fundamental to our lives, by choosing effective language and emphasizing possible solutions to the problems. The stated goal is to help journalists clearly describe the causes, effects, and possible solutions for addressing climate change—a narrative that is often lacking in the Italian media. All of this is based on concrete data derived from high-level scientific studies. The ongoing climate conference, COP31, is also a test of our ability to accurately interpret the climate issue.”
