Lights out alert: Evidence-based communication strategies to prepare for energy shortages

Amid escalating risks of energy shortages driven by climate change and sociopolitical instability, effective risk communication strategies are essential for fostering public cooperation in energy-saving initiatives. This study investigates how the design of energy risk communication campaigns can influence public response. Drawing on a behavioral decision framework, we conducted large-scale, randomized online experiments in the UK (N = 3,836) and Chile (N = 2,607) during periods of potential energy shortages. We tested four key factors influencing the impact of energy risk communication campaigns: the framing of the crisis's cause (local vs. global), the credibility and role of the message source, the emphasis on specific energy-saving actions, and the underlying motivations driving household actions (economic, environmental, or social). Our findings indicate that messages emphasizing locally controllable causes, such as domestic energy policies, can enhance willingness to save energy. In the UK, which is geographically closer to the Ukraine–Russia war, framing the cause of the crisis around the conflict also proves particularly effective. Government-sourced messages that highlight specific industry efforts to mitigate the crisis improve public perceptions of institutions. Campaigns focusing on high-impact energy-saving recommendations are more effective in encouraging commitment to saving energy than a mixed approach. Prosocial messages that frame energy saving as preventing blackouts increase risk awareness but do not outperform messages framed around saving money in terms of energy-saving intentions. These insights underscore the need for targeted, contextually relevant risk communication strategies and offer policymakers valuable guidance for improving public response and engagement in preparation for energy crises.