After a successful inaugural year, we’re opening applications for the second cohort of our online certificate program in Strategic Climate Change Communication, designed specifically for working professionals who want to turn evidence-based insights into real-world climate action.
Applications open today, September 28, and close October 30, with admissions decisions on December 7. The cohort runs February 1 through May 21, 2027. Please visit the official website to apply.
The program is offered fully online, making it accessible to professionals in government, business, and civil society around the world. Participants learn how to design and implement strategic communication campaigns that effectively engage audiences and inspire meaningful climate action.
Our inaugural participants came from parliaments, newsrooms, energy companies, and international NGOs — and put the material to work immediately.
“The period of this course has changed me a lot. I’m a climate lead advocate in parliament, and it has transformed the way I do my work so significantly… You write a brief, you do the reading, you are in the live sessions. It was virtually like a seminar or workshop rather than bombarding us with lectures.”
— Dickson Kyere-Duah, Member of Parliament, Ghana
“As a meteorologist in the renewable energy industry, I learned how to translate climate risk assessments into strategic conversations about financial risk, resilience, and long-term planning. The program was engaging, practical, and immediately applicable to my work.”
— Jerry Crescenti, Senior Lead, Wind Energy Assessment, Pattern Energy
“This has truly been one of the best professional experiences of my career. The team skillfully created an inspiring and energized atmosphere over Zoom with people who had never met… I am leaving feeling really capable and confident in my skills, and that I have even more to offer my organization and colleagues in our climate justice ambitions.”
— Louisa Anderson, Global Communications Strategist, Amnesty International
The course is based on a curriculum Dr. Leiserowitz taught for more than a decade at Yale’s School of the Environment. Over the years, dozens of students have applied these lessons to develop and implement successful climate change communication campaigns. Dr. Leiserowitz and Dr. Verner adapted this course specifically for working professionals.
Strategic communication is essential to achieving organizational goals. Every component — goal setting, audience analysis, message design, and campaign implementation — plays a critical role in determining success. The program walks participants through that full arc in four phases: formative research, strategy, tactics, and evaluation, closing with capstone presentations.
Participants also learn alongside a cohort of peers, creating opportunities to exchange ideas, learn from real-world experience, and build a global professional network of climate communicators.
To apply or learn more about the program, visit the official website.
For questions about the program or the application process, contact: climatecomms.certificate@yale.edu