To protect the environment has become a relevant goal today, this due to threats against the environment and global warming which has led to collapsing ecosystems, hurricanes, exceptional heat and more natural disasters. Therefore it is of utmost importance to inform the public about the critical situation and how it can be tackled. Through the help of spreading awareness and increased understanding of the threats, actors are trying to solve the problem. This is where environmental organizations come into the picture, who yearn to make the public aware of the current situation that the planet is in. They are also trying to contribute with solutions for existing difficulties which in itself is difficult. In the light of this, communication channels becomes relevant, specifically social platforms, since they are some of the leading communication channels because of the channels’ characteristics. However there are numerous studies pointing out environmental organizations’ failure to use social media in an effective way.

The purpose of this study is to map how successful environmental organizations use social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to put forth their message to the public and to raise awareness around environmental threats. The mapping will be grounded on the theories Green marketing, Framing, The Dragonfly Effect and CoverageUnderstanding-Action. Based on the background and purpose, the question being asked is: which factors do successful environmental organisations consider to succeed in their communication with the public through social media?

The qualitative empirical research shows that all the participating environmental organizations except for one work with creating personal relevance for people when communicating environmental issues through social media. These organisations also have a relationship to their audience. Three of the organisations also have an understanding for their audience.