SHIFT 2025: Harnessing the power of screen storytelling for environmental impact
Future Focus attended SHIFT, a CSIRO-led symposium bringing together scientists, researchers, filmmakers, TV producers and screen industry leaders to explore one question: how can storytelling accelerate environmental behaviour change at scale?
The premise was simple but urgent. Film and television reach millions each day, shaping culture, norms and what people believe is possible. As speakers reminded the room, facts alone rarely shift society. People change when narratives move them.
Evidence presented throughout the day showed just how powerful that influence can be. A Grey’s Anatomy episode featuring a storyline on extreme heat was found to be twice as effective as a standard public service announcement on the same topic. A cooking show segment on plant-based recipes nudged audiences toward openness, but when an influencer recreated the same dish on social media, viewers reported a stronger belief that they could do it themselves. The combination of entertainment, representation and follow-on content created a behaviour change pathway no graph could match.
SHIFT highlighted why collaboration between scientists and storytellers matters. Scientists bring insight into motivations, barriers and lived realities. Creatives translate those insights into emotional experiences that resonate far beyond traditional sustainability communication. When these sectors work together, stories become a lever for climate action, biodiversity protection, conservation and the energy transition.
What made SHIFT stand out was its format. Participants from research, production, government and industry worked side by side, sharing expertise and building a shared language for impact. Despite their different disciplines and methods, everyone in the room was united by the same purpose.
The message was unmistakable: the screen industry is one of the most potent cultural forces we have. When paired with evidence-based behavioural science, storytelling can become a catalyst for environmental change at scale.
