S4 #7 | Public Perceptions Deep Dive - Part 3: Telling Better CDR Stories
Thu Dec 18 2025
In this final episode of our public perceptions mini-series, Tom and Emily ask a deceptively simple question: what would a better conversation about carbon removal actually look like? One that can hold urgency without hype, complexity without alienation, and honesty without infighting.
In this episode:
🧠 Why Stories Matter More Than Stats: Carbon removal isn’t short on data, but data alone doesn’t move people. We explore why stories linger longer than numbers, and how storytelling can humanise CDR without dumbing it down.
🌍 Who Is “The Public”, Really?: We remember that audiences are plural, contextual, and deeply shaped by geography, culture, and lived experience. One message will never fit all.
⚖️ When Internal Debates Spill Outside: Healthy disagreement is essential, but public mud-slinging over durability, methods, and perfection can confuse buyers, journalists, and newcomers. Where’s the line between rigour and self-sabotage?
😅 Humour, Humanity, and Letting the Mask Slip: We hear the case that humour, vulnerability, and emotional honesty are under-used tools in climate communication. From memes to podcasts, cultural work is not a nice-to-have, it’s infrastructure.
🎨 Imagining Futures: We consider how the arts can open up new ways of engaging with carbon removal.
🔀 Simplicity vs Complexity: How do we communicate urgency and necessity while staying honest about uncertainty and evolution? The challenge isn’t choosing one, but knowing which to lead with, and when.
🏢 From Climate Concept to Business Reality: What does this all mean for conversations with businesses? We consider how narratives must shift when speaking to buyers, CFOs, and decision-makers, without losing trust.
👥 Featuring
Guest insights from:
Shilpika Gautam (Opna)
Ross Kenyon (Reversing Climate Change)
Selina Wagner
Leila Toplic (Carbonfuture)
Hosts: Tom Previte and Emily Swaddle
Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks
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In this final episode of our public perceptions mini-series, Tom and Emily ask a deceptively simple question: what would a better conversation about carbon removal actually look like? One that can hold urgency without hype, complexity without alienation, and honesty without infighting. In this episode: 🧠 Why Stories Matter More Than Stats: Carbon removal isn’t short on data, but data alone doesn’t move people. We explore why stories linger longer than numbers, and how storytelling can humanise CDR without dumbing it down. 🌍 Who Is “The Public”, Really?: We remember that audiences are plural, contextual, and deeply shaped by geography, culture, and lived experience. One message will never fit all. ⚖️ When Internal Debates Spill Outside: Healthy disagreement is essential, but public mud-slinging over durability, methods, and perfection can confuse buyers, journalists, and newcomers. Where’s the line between rigour and self-sabotage? 😅 Humour, Humanity, and Letting the Mask Slip: We hear the case that humour, vulnerability, and emotional honesty are under-used tools in climate communication. From memes to podcasts, cultural work is not a nice-to-have, it’s infrastructure. 🎨 Imagining Futures: We consider how the arts can open up new ways of engaging with carbon removal. 🔀 Simplicity vs Complexity: How do we communicate urgency and necessity while staying honest about uncertainty and evolution? The challenge isn’t choosing one, but knowing which to lead with, and when. 🏢 From Climate Concept to Business Reality: What does this all mean for conversations with businesses? We consider how narratives must shift when speaking to buyers, CFOs, and decision-makers, without losing trust. 👥 Featuring Guest insights from: Shilpika Gautam (Opna) Ross Kenyon (Reversing Climate Change) Selina Wagner Leila Toplic (Carbonfuture) Hosts: Tom Previte and Emily Swaddle Producer: Ben Weaver-Hincks