Stories Shape Our World

Alice Aedy

Nature-based Storyteller

Feeling like climate change facts just don’t stick? This Step teaches learners how to use storytelling to cut through the noise, connect emotionally, and inspire action, because stories, not stats, are what really get people to care and act.

Net Zero Stakeholder Management

Stories Shape Our World

11 mins 53 secs

Key learning objectives:

Understand the role of storytelling in making complex issues more emotionally impactful
Outline key storytelling techniques to improve your own stories

Overview:

Storytelling is key to cutting through the noise of climate data. Alice Aedy shows how it can humanise issues, turning facts into compelling stories that move people to act. She shares ten storytelling techniques, from knowing your audience to using emotion and relatable characters. This Step challenges learners to apply these techniques, turning complex information into clear, emotional narratives that resonate. It's about going beyond numbers, inspiring real change by connecting on a personal level. What stories will you tell?

Sign up today

Summary

What is the role of storytelling in addressing climate change?

Storytelling makes complex issues like climate change more relatable and emotionally impactful. While facts and statistics provide essential information, they often fail to create urgency or connection. A well-told story, however, touches the hearts of the audience, helping them see themselves in the narrative and inspiring action. By humanising the issue and presenting real-life scenarios, storytelling cuts through data overload and engages people on a deeper level.

Sharing experiences, such as a child displaced by rising sea levels, creates vivid images that highlight the personal impact of climate change, motivating the audience to take action.

What are the key storytelling techniques to improve your own stories?

Know your audience: Tailor your story to your audience's values, whether they care about economics or community wellbeing, for greater impact
Start with a strong hook: Grab attention early with a surprising fact or vivid image. Quickly set the scene so your audience understands the stakes
Humanise the issue: Introduce relatable characters and show, don’t just tell, by illustrating how climate change affects individuals or communities
Create emotion with emotion: Evoke feelings like hope or urgency through personal stories, balancing emotions with facts
Develop a clear narrative: Use a beginning, middle, and end to structure your story, highlighting conflict and resolution to keep engagement high
Use metaphors and analogies: Simplify complex ideas with relatable imagery to make abstract concepts more tangible
Take action: End with a clear call to action that inspires positive outcomes and collective effort
Focus on delivery: Use pauses and vary your pace to emphasise key points and keep interest
Use sensory details: Engage the senses with descriptive language to create immersive, vivid images
Repeat key themes: Reinforce your message by repeating important terms or phrases throughout your story

The opinions and viewpoints expressed in this video are those of the creator and do not necessarily reflect the views of any affiliated organisations.

Sign up today

Alice Aedy

Meet Alice Aedy, the creative force at the intersection of climate action and digital storytelling. As Co-Founder and CEO of Earthrise, Alice leads a pioneering platform that amplifies the stories that matter most, with the aim to transform climate awareness into cultural consciousness. Through Earthrise, Alice and her team are redefining how the world connects with climate issues, bringing human-centered narratives to the forefront. Alice is an award-winning documentary director and producer and her passion for social and climate justice is evident in every frame of her work. She was also honoured in Forbes 30 Under 30 for Social Impact. With features in National Geographic, The Guardian, The New York Times and Vogue.

There are no available Steps from "Alice Aedy"