For the fourth edition of the National Climate Week, the Ministerie van Klimaat en Groene Groei (the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth) joined forces with the Klimaatstichting HIER (a Dutch climate foundation). During this week inhabitants, businesses, organisations, and municipalities across the Netherlands showcase their efforts towards a better climate to inspire and mobilise others to take action. Activities range from local initiatives and online lectures to hands-on workshops. Our assignment: how can we make this week a success and engage as many people as possible?
STRATEGY AND APPROACH
Why the National Climate Week? To stimulate positive behavioural change across society—from residents and businesses to municipalities. For this fourth edition, the Ministry and HIER set the following goals:
Increase awareness of National Climate Week among the Dutch population by 6% (from 62% to 68%).
Expand the network of Climate Mayors beyond the current 300.
Grow and retain the number of active Climate Supporters (organisations and companies).
Increase municipal participation to 120 (up from 99 in 2023).
Boost the number of events during National Climate Week to 400 (up from 260 in 2023).
Track 1: Dutch Residents
Through nationwide local PR, we recruited enthusiastic ambassadors: the Climate Mayors. These are everyday citizens committed to climate action, eager to share their stories to inspire others. We featured individuals such as Dieuwertje Vorstenbosch from Tilburg, founder of the free clothing initiative FREE FASHION, and the Climate Mayors duo Cora van Ingen and Dorine Epping from the Land of Maas & Waal. Their tangible actions on energy saving, sustainability, and CO2 reduction serve as inspiring examples within their communities.
Track 2: Businesses, Organisations, and Municipalities
These groups are key drivers of sustainability in the Netherlands. They not only serve as examples but can also implement change within their own operations. We developed a toolkit to showcase their initiatives and organised meetings to inform, inspire, and mobilise local residents – ensuring a meaningful impact at the local level.
PHASED PR APPROACH
To ensure the success of National Climate Week, we adopted a phased PR strategy designed to maintain continuous engagement and high visibility. This strategy combined earned media, content creation, and community building to achieve wide reach, consistent messaging, and strong participant engagement.
Earned Media: Personal Stories Take Centre Stage Initially, we focused on recruiting Climate Mayors via local media. Over 500 personalised press releases were sent to regional editors, alongside various public calls to action in areas lacking a Climate Mayor. This approach yielded numerous personal stories, which were shared through local newspapers, radio, TV, and digital platforms. The result: a potential reach of over 133 million. By giving the climate challenge a human face, we made the issue more relatable and engaging.
Content Creation: Inspire and Activate Beyond PR, content played a crucial role in amplifying the message. Our partner Campagne transformed these stories into consistent content formats, including videos of Climate Mayors and Supporters sharing practical tips and promoting National Climate Week activities. These assets were disseminated via social media, newsletters, and events—and remained relevant even after the week, helping sustain momentum.
Community Building & Management: Connection and Support Building a strong, supportive community is essential to lasting change. We worked to not only increase the visibility of Climate Mayors but also to support and connect them. Workshops on local media engagement were provided, and tailored monthly newsletters were sent to each target group. Additionally, we supported Klimaatstichting HIER in maintaining its growing community.
Digital kick-off of National Climate Week 2024
The National Climate Week was officially launched on 8 November 2024 with a digital kick-off event, organised by Bijl PR. The event brought together 125 Climate Mayors, supporters, and municipal representatives to celebrate the start of the week. The programme featured inspiring speakers and a warm welcome speech, generating enthusiasm and underscoring the power of collective climate action.
RESULTS
Each year, Dutch newspaper Trouw publishes the “Sustainable 100”—a list of the most inspiring civic sustainability initiatives, divided into ten categories. In 2024, the “Climate Mayors” initiative placed 3rd in the “Energy and Climate” category—a significant recognition of the hundreds of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to raise awareness and foster change in their communities.
The fourth edition of the National Climate Week exceeded expectations:
Over 500 activities – representing an 89% increase
Earned media reach: Over 153 million impressions
PR value: €2 million
Publications: More than 2,600
The National Climate Week shows what’s possible when people and organisations work together for a better climate. It’s inspiring to see how our local PR approach truly creates impact. Thanks to our great collaboration with the Ministry, Klimaatstichting HIER, and our colleagues at Campagne in Rotterdam, we turned this into another powerful edition!
