Hope in the heat: winning digital actions to deploy in an extreme weather event

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Summer has arrived. Alongside music festivals, parties, and beach trips we also face deadly heatwaves. A recent study has estimated Europe counted 47,690 excess deaths due to heat in 2023 alone. Communities are bracing for a wave of climate impacts over the coming months including serious illness and fatalities from heat exposure, wildfires, power outages, water shortages, mass livestock deaths and crop failures. While people are equipping themselves to get through the latest heatwave, we all know that adapting to new weather conditions is not an individual matter. New climate policies and actions are urgently needed to ensure people can stay safe and survive these extreme weather events.

Social media channels are saturated with posts ranging from memes and clever tricks to stay cool, along with desperation and cries for help. The content illustrates the wide consensus of people acknowledging climate change and its impact on everyday lives and progressive change makers, this is a moment to speak clearly and effectively about the climate crisis. It’s not easy. The scale of the emergency can seem overwhelming, but how we communicate and what we campaign for in this moment matters. 

It's important to not just name the problem and its cause. We must provide messages that connect with people’s lived experiences of heatwaves. We must offer tangible steps to contribute to a better future. Equally as important, actions must engage the public. Whilst these actions may appear minor or ‘not enough’ they are often essential entry points for broader participation.

This below outlines great examples of digital actions used over summer periods focused on climate with clear ‘theories of change’ and opportunity space to win those demands:  

1. Mass submission tools

   
   

Digital platforms that let people directly contact and pressure local lawmakers about climate adaptation measures are a powerful way to drive action. They're quick to share, scalable, and easy to use—perfect for heatwave moments when urgency is high.

Example: In Serbia, Polekol enables residents to demand the construction or restoration of public water fountains. Users select their neighborhood, pinpoint a location, explain why it matters, and the platform automatically sends their request to the relevant authorities.

2. Popular petitions (digital of course!)

   
   

Petitions with mass appeal, especially those rooted in everyday experiences can cut through and mobilize quickly. They can capture emotions and with momentum can infiltrate the political agenda and create changes. It’s a great idea to combine heat waves with other topics like urban polices, workers’ rights, small business, public services, animal rights etc. For example, a petition calling for climate refuges (air conditioned/shaded areas accessible for homeless people and families.

Example: In the UK, the Trade Union Congress have just launched Too Hot to Work, a petition calling for a legal maximum working temperature. Backed by a compelling video, it has already gathered over 30,000 signatures in just two weeks.

Tip: Whenever possible, team up with known celebrities or influencers that support your cause and have a large platform of followers. 

Greenpeace’s petitions are famously accompanied by such artistic and emotionally captivating videos, such as their petition on banning the deep sea mining and protecting the oceans.

3. Content that connects 

   
   

Content highlighting the lived reality of extreme heat are highly relatable and often perform well. It’s crucial to name the issue (heat) and the cause (fossil fuels and political inaction)—but even more important to offer tangible solutions and a sense of hope. Concrete, local examples resonate more deeply and drive engagement.

Example: Belgian Green politician, Catherina Morenville filmed herself in a popular but treeless, concrete plaza registering 36°C, then contrasted it with a nearby redesigned square full of trees, shade, and fountains—where the temperature was 5°C cooler. A clear, visual call for urban adaptation.

4. Visuals and relatable metrics

   
   

Data becomes powerful when it’s visual, local, and easy to grasp. Metrics like “These five solar farms will provide enough electricity to air condition 500 public schools and hospitals” help people immediately understand the impact—and make your message (and content) more relatable and shareable.

Example:  The Climate Council shows that solar uptake is possible on scale with this great visual showing how long it tool to generate Australia’s first terawatt of solar power (68 yrs) compared to its second terawatt, just 2 years!

5. User generated content

   
   

When people can actively contribute to a campaign, it strengthens ownership and momentum. User generated content means shifting from “here’s what we think” to “here’s what we’ve built together.” Open-source maps are agreat visual to demostrate support and are appealing for supporters as they can see that they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Example: Fridays for Future Rome launched an open-source map where residents can flag types of climate-related urban issues: green areas under threat, places that need regreening, and grey spaces that could become gardens. These citizen-submitted pins go straight to the municipality, acting as a mass submission tool as well creating public pressure for action.

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Need help with any actions or tools mentioned? Get in touch with us: info@centerfordigitalaction.eu