Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Moment Shows New Path for Climate Talk

When Bad Bunny climbed onto broken power lines during his Super Bowl halftime show, he wasn't just putting on a spectacle for 100 million viewers. He was showing climate communicators a better way forward.

The performance spotlighted Puerto Rico's fragile electricity system, damaged by hurricanes that scientists link to climate change. Josh Garrett, CEO of Redwood Climate Communications, says the moment worked because it skipped the science lecture and focused on real people's experiences instead.

"Everybody understands pop music," Garrett explains. "You're going to see it." The imagery likely pushed viewers to learn more about Puerto Rico's climate challenges on their own terms.

That organic approach matters more than ever. President Trump has repeatedly called climate change a hoax, and his administration recently rolled back key environmental protections. Media coverage has dropped too, with only 17 percent of Americans saying they hear about climate change weekly, the lowest since 2015.

Yet 64 percent of Americans still worry about global warming. The concern is there, but the connection between worry and action keeps breaking down.

Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe argued in 2018 that simply talking about climate change is one of the most powerful tools we have. Experts say that advice still holds true today.

Julia Fine from George Mason University's Center for Climate Change Communication says building shared social norms creates momentum. When people realize others care about climate change, they're more likely to take action themselves.

The challenge is how to talk about it. A 50-point gap exists between Democrats and Republicans on whether climate is a priority, with 71 percent of Democrats concerned versus 21 percent of Republicans.

The Bright Side

Behavioral scientist Sweta Chakraborty sees opportunity in that divide. She says finding common ground lets people belong to multiple groups at once, breaking down the fear of exclusion that keeps them silent.

Everyone wants their children to grow up in a safer, more stable world, Garrett notes. That universal value creates a bridge across political divides, opening doors for real conversation about climate impacts.

Bad Bunny proved you don't need to mention climate change explicitly to make people care. Sometimes the most powerful message is simply showing what's at stake.