Both climate communication and place branding are familiar concepts, whose potentials have been recognized. Cities have engaged in communication and climate work for several years, yet studies linking municipal climate action and communication are scarce. We conducted targeted interviews and a broader survey of climate workers and communicators of forerunner municipalities in Finland and found gaps between climate action and communication. Synergies could be achieved if the two functioned in synchronicity rather than separate tasks, as words require actions, but full impacts of actions fall short without communication. Municipalities have progressed on both fronts but are hindered by lacking time and human resources. Results revealed several opportunities of climate communication in amplifying local climate action and strengthening municipal brand image, but many remain underexploited. Sufficient resources and stronger legitimacy are still needed for climate matters to be better integrated into everything the municipality does and communicates.
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