Communicating Planetary Health: A Mixed-Methods Study on Trust in Communicators in the Climate and Health Domains

Effective communication about climate change and its health impacts is central to the Planetary Health approach. Guided by Source Credibility Theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, this mixed-methods study combined expert interviews with a representative German survey (N = 1,130) on communicator trust. Experts differentiated more strongly between communicators on climate action versus health, whereas the public's trust patterns remained highly consistent across both topics. Among the public, scientists, medical professionals, and public health institutions were most trusted, whereas policymakers ranked lowest. Findings highlight the need to align expert recommendations with audience trust and foster cross-sectoral strategies.