Understories, translating doom into agency


Journal



The Understories Journal shares monthly updates on the system and its evolving tech, research, and governance. It also features a fortnightly newsletter with insights and stories from the world of climate communications and artificial intelligence.



Understories is built on a multi-layered governance system: the research library ensures that every message evaluation is grounded in research.

Alisa's quote for Understories

A climate message evaluation: Alisa’s story, explained

Alisa’s composite story served as the example for Understories’ prototype, published in April 2026. It questions why one climate message risks losing its audience while another gives people a reason to act.

Alisa’s composite story served as the example for Understories’ prototype, published in April 2026. It questions why one climate message risks losing its audience while another gives people a reason to act.

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Understories Reading List #8

This series closes with research including the work of Anna Lucia Goense, who reveals like Ada Lovelace before her, the kinship between code and weaving.

This series closes with research including the work of Anna Lucia Goense, who reveals like Ada Lovelace before her, the kinship between code and weaving.

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Understories Reading List #7

This edition’s pick is for those seeking a living, evidence-based map of what civil society actually knows, and is saying, about climate.

This edition’s pick is for those seeking a living, evidence-based map of what civil society actually knows, and is saying, about climate.

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Understories.io journal visual

Understories Update: October 2026

Six months in, growing visits from across 60+ countries, the move to a full-library retrieval system, and why practical resources like Thomson’s Tanzania toolkit matter.

Six months in, growing visits from across 60+ countries, the move to a full-library retrieval system, and why practical resources like Thomson’s Tanzania toolkit matter.

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Reading List - Library

Understories Reading List #8

This series closes with research including the work of Anna Lucia Goense, who reveals like Ada Lovelace before her, the kinship between code and weaving.

Read more →

Reading List - Library

Understories Reading List #7

This edition’s pick is for those seeking a living, evidence-based map of what civil society actually knows, and is saying, about climate.

Read more →

Reading List - Library

Understories Reading List #6

This is Understories’ Reading List, a fortnightly email for people who bridge climate science, narrative, and action. Each edition starts with findings worth keeping, and closes with a moment of beauty to carry forward.

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Reading List - Library

Understories Reading List #5

Taking a step aside this week, with a link to wander, five Library entries and queer aerial embroider by Victoria Richards.

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Reading List - Library

Understories Reading List #4

I'm writing this as France is coming out of the Gironde fires — 220,000 people evacuated, along with the trees and animals that couldn't evacuate themselves. 

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Reading List - Library

Understories Reading List #3

This one comes as climate communication feels more urgent — and more contested — than ever.

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Reading List - Library

Understories Reading List #2

The link between climate and health has rarely been this legible. Neither has the case for solidarity, and for the kind of local action that checks in on isolated people.

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Reading List - Library

Understories Reading List #1

The next decade is decisive for climate action — and how we communicate will determine whether we succeed. 

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Stay close to the work.

Occasional research, field notes, and practical tools for making climate communication count.

Decorative Graphic
decorative graphic image of an arm with a hand holding a pencil moving on the collage.

understories.io

Open source • RESEARCH-BACKED • HUMAN-CENTERED

© 2026, caroline prak

Decorative Graphic
decorative graphic image of an arm with a hand holding a pencil moving on the collage.

understories.io

OPEN SOURCE• RESEARCH-BACKED

• HUMAN-CENTERED

© 2026, caroline prak

Decorative Graphic
Decorative Graphic

understories.io

Open source • RESEARCH-BACKED • HUMAN-CENTERED

© 2026, caroline prak