Thomson toolkit added to virtual hub built to strengthen climate storytelling

Thomson's Climate Crisis Toolkit for Media in Tanzania is being included in a new virtual library designed to ensure accurate and engaging storytelling around climate change.

The Toolkit is among 50 handpicked research papers and tools from 1991 to the present day to be included in the free, open-source hub called Understories.

Ive been working on climate communications for nearly 20 years, says Understories creator Caroline Prak who's a former head of communications for Friends of the Earth and Oxfam France. I think its one of the most pressing issues that we face as humanity. But for me there's a gap between the richness of the research and how it's being communicated.

Understories creator Caroline Prak

Her aim is to make climate communication more compelling and resistant to the unintended amplification of disinformation. Journalists and other users can load their copy into the tool which will check if it accurately reflects evidence-based climate science and communications research from the library. The tool will also assess the clarity of language and analyse the likelihood of it connecting with the intended audience.

The AI is not meant to correct your style and your personal voice, says Caroline who came up with the idea whilst working on an MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Sustainable AI programme in January 2026. The tool will give you an evaluation on what you've written. For example, it might give you a green flag which means it's fine, suggest improvements or it may express ethical reservations that what you say is not really accurate and no research backs such claims.

Ethical Framework Thomson's Climate Crisis Toolkit for Media in Tanzania, which is available for free on our Journalism Now e-learning platform, had to pass the hub's ethical framework before inclusion. The framework includes accountability (transparency), non-maleficence (no misleading messages, manipulation or fearmongering) and explainability (every suggestion cites specific research).

Thomson's Toolkit is actually a lot more than just for Tanzanian journalists, says Caroline. You have insights that are useful for a lot of different audiences because you talk about advocacy, you talk about risk management, and you have a lot of resources. In addition, you talk about building trust in challenging environments where climate change is not being discussed daily. So, for me it was a good combination.

Caroline has self-funded Understories, which is still in the pilot stage but is hoping to generate more interest and continue to expand the hub.

Click here to visit Understories

Credit: Laura Weiler, Cut&Placed

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