Join us for our Digital Influence and Climate Friction: Expert Gathering in Berlin on 2 - 4 December 2024 where we will collaborate to advance responses to two intersecting crises: digital information disorder and pushback against climate solutions.
Whilst there is more support and momentum than ever for action on climate, growing 'climate friction' is slowing down essential and immediate uptake of climate solutions. This friction is enhanced by an information environment that fosters politicization, polarisation and consequently conflicting interests around climate policies and solutions. Opinions on climate are developed in a complex space over-saturated with influence tactics, post-truth narratives, corporate influence, misinformation, AI and machine-learning enhanced content and harassment of climate activists and journalists. This contested online environment contributes to a state of confusion and inhibits necessary, rapid, and systemic change.
We believe that a collaboration between different climate and communication disciplines – such as climate journalists, misinformation researchers, and technologists – can produce a better understanding of the climate information landscape, compile an up-to-date set of tactics for creating change, and begin to create new and effective approaches to meet the current challenges within the digital and climate movement.
This three-day expert gathering is designed to bring together experienced practitioners in order to assess the strategies, techniques, and tools currently being used within climate influence. Through participation, attendees will work together to determine new creative responses that navigate pushback on climate solutions. The outcomes will support current and upcoming projects both of the participants and a wider community of practitioners.
Participants can expect to:
- Assess the current environment and what to expect next. We will be asking: what is the scale and scope of the challenge and how it is changing?
- Share knowledge and learn from others. We will be creating spaces for practical exchange on strategies, methods and lessons learned (including things that are working and things that are not)!
- Work together towards identifying effective methods and solutions. We will be collaborating to generate creative and innovative approaches that can be shared across the climate movement.
Ultimately, participants can expect to leave the gathering having made new connections, gained new insights on their own and others’ projects, and generated fresh ideas. After the gathering, a summary report will be shared with the participants and interested participants will also be able to continue to feed into The Influence Industry Project’s upcoming practical guide on the forces and dynamics which can, and will, shape current discourse on climate change action to be published in 2025.
The Expert Gathering Details
Application form: https://lime.ttc.io/index.php/985898?lang=en
What? A three-day in-person gathering centred on advancing knowledge and developing solutions at the intersection of digital influence and climate friction, in order to help a diverse range of organisations and actors better understand and navigate identified problems.
Who? We seek to engage a wide group of actors including organisations working at the leading edge of disinformation research and fact-checkings, digital rights and responsibilities, climate communications, climate and environment (international and local) as well as visual artists and technologists actively working on climate and persuasion. We encourage professionals working in climate-specific areas of journalism, creative communications, visual arts, and marketing to also apply.
Apply if you:
- Are a journalist, investigator, visual artist, communication specialist or expert with a strong and demonstrable track record of innovation and impact working with an organisation (disinformation research and fact-checking organisations, digital rights and responsibilities organisations, climate communications organisations, and environmental organisations [international and local]) who want to share what you know and learn from others.
- Have demonstrated experience with reporting, researching and communicating themes related to climate change and information disorder (including mis- and disinformation, influence networks) and have a current active project in the area of digital influence and climate that you can bring to the event.
- Due to funding, the gathering is predominantly for people based in, or working on, climate campaigns in Europe – though a few spots are available for participants from outside Europe, feel free to contact us in advance with questions.
- Are committed to attending for the entire length of the Expert Gathering and to contribute your knowledge and expertise to the event and its outcomes.
If you have any questions about your eligibility, please do not hesitate to be in touch (see below for contact information).
When? Monday, 2 – Wednesday, 4 December 2024, full days with arrival on 1st or 2nd December and departure on 5 or 6 December
Where? Publix, a new home for local and international journalism organisations that shape the public sphere and strengthen democracy. Berlin, Germany / in-person.
Application deadline: 25th September 2024 (extended from the 22nd)
Application process: To receive an event invitation, applicants must submit an application via Lime Survey. After which, a shortlisted set of candidates will be asked to an online interview of no more than 30 minutes. All applicants, successful or not, will be informed of the decision by email.
Application form: https://lime.ttc.io/index.php/985898?lang=en
Travel Funding Eligibility and Self-Funded Participants
Attendance at the conference, if accepted, is free. Return travel from countries within the EU, and local subsistence in Berlin (accommodation, 2 meals/day, local travel) can be provided by organisers for up to 20 successful applicants residing in the EU, as well as 5 for individuals joining from outside the EU.
We will also have a limited number of places open for self-funded applicants. The same application call and selection process applies to self-funded applicants. Please indicate whether you are able to cover your own costs or seeking funding when filling out the application form.
The Digital Influence and Climate Friction Hosts
This event will build on Tactical Tech’s two decades of experience working with information activism, visualising information for advocacy as well as Tactical Tech’s Influence Industry Project: researching into digital influence tools, tactics and networks for political election campaigns, which has produced ground-breaking research on the tools and tactics of influence and trained journalists and climate campaigners from over 30 countries.
Tactical Tech builds the capacity of communities to navigate and shape our collective social, political and environmental futures within the context of digital transformation. We have a diverse and established audience: within a given strategic period we work with over 300 partners from more than 30 countries who translate, localise, adapt and engage their audiences and communities through our resources and guides.
This event will contribute to a larger project Tactical Tech is undertaking on Digital Influence and Climate, some of the outcomes of this event will be further developed into a guide on Digital Influence and Climate that will be published in 2025.
The gathering will take in Berlin, Germany, at Publix, a new home for local and international investigative journalism organisations that shape the public sphere and strengthen democracy.
The Influence Industry Project Contact
ttc @ tacticaltech.org – reference ‘Climate and Influence Gathering’
If you'd prefer to write through encrypted mail: write to amber @ tacticaltech.org ( PGP fingerprint: 7FF1 2375 4A65 809D 0D0D BC8E 1FA0 DE80 4810 DF53 )
This project is possible thanks to the kind support of our funders:
The Swedish Postcode Foundation
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
