Hope in the heat: Digital actions and content to deploy now
- Jul 17
- 4 min read
Summer has arrived. Alongside music festivals, parties, and beach trips, we also face deadly heatwaves. Already, Europe has recorded 10,000 heat related deaths just in June 2026. 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.
Social media channels are saturated with posts ranging from memes and clever tricks to desperation and cries for help. The content illustrates the wide consensus of people acknowledging climate change and its impact on everyday lives. For progressives, 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.
Dwelling on depressing facts only breeds fear and paralysis, creating openings for the right wing. Instead of preaching, we must lead with smart, actionable solutions. By offering low-barrier digital actions, we also give people immediate relief and a direct way to be part of the solution. This doesn't hide the hard truths; it channels them into meaningful engagement that brings people closer to our policies.
Here are some great examples of digital actions and content:
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.
Fridays for Future Rome launched an open source map where citizens can signal three types of issues or actions they wish to be taken related to climate change:
1) Defend green areas at risk of construction;
2) Spaces to be reforested;
3) Squares, parking lots or courtyards that can be turned into garden spaces.
These requests, once made, go directly to the municipality of Rome, all in an attempt to try and put pressure on relevant authorities to act and make Rome a more livable city.
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.
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 gathered over 60,000 signatures.
Tip: Team up with known celebrities or influencers that support your cause and have a large platform of followers. This will boost visibility and mainstream your topic as well as reach new audiences outside of your already politically engaged base of supporters.
Here’s a similar example from the Party of European Socialists collaborating with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in their campaign calling for a maximum working temperature as well as cooling breaks, water, shade and safe working conditions.
The Social Democrats in Sweden have also launched a petition to build popular support for climate adaptation measures across the country and demanding the government reverse cuts to existing climate initiatives.
Content that connects
Videos, memes and carousels highlighting the lived reality of extreme heat are highly relatable and often perform well. While it’s crucial to name the issue (heat) and the cause (fossil fuels and political inaction)—its event is even more important to offer tangible solutions and a sense of hope. Concrete, local examples tend to resonate deeply and drive more engagement.
In response to the deadly wildfires in Spain, Antonio Maíllo (spokesperson for Por Andalucia) shares this video on the fires demanding an explanation from the regional government about why funding has been cut to Andalusia’s specialized forest fire prevention services.
This carousel post has gone viral for the French speaking Belgian greens, Ecolo using a meme format to highlight the contradiction of the heat waves alongside news that their government is dismantling the forest protection agency. The post leads with the meme as the hook before sharing solutions to the climate crisis. They developed further posts with popular meme that have helped them attract several thousand new followers.
Fundraising
The Bavarian Greens launched a sticker tactic featuring hip, renewable energy designs. Supporters are invited to vote on their favorite design and chip in a few euros to receive a sticker pack.
Sticker fundraising page, Grüne Bayern 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.
This ‘European Correspondent’ instagram post shows a data visualization of water temperatures during a 2025 heatwave in Europe to grab your attention.
Need help with any actions or tools mentioned? Get in touch with us: info@centerfordigitalaction.eu
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