The influencer in the age of climate change: the authentic role model for sustainability

In the age of climate change, the Instagram influencer is still a popular role model for ways to navigate the modern world, and they present us with their visual practices of self-presentation as well as their activism, lifestyle, and business model. However, conspicuous consumption - once a hallmark of success - is now being challenged, and perhaps a paradigm shift is building with the new breed of climate influencers with engaged expertise and ethical vigilance. The aim of this paper is first to identify climate celebrities and then to focus specifically on macro influencers, such as activists or actors, and on micro-influencers, such as entrepreneurs. The article examines how they communicate climate change applying different strategies on Instagram while remaining authentic, using concepts from research on social media within studies of celebrity culture and in climate celebrity communication Second, we demonstrate a shift taking place in the way climate change is communicated: from traditional legacy-media advocacy by celebrities to activists and entrepreneurs performing sustainable everyday practices on social media. This work will contribute directly to how we analyse both the macro and micro-climate influencer as a role model in the age of climate change, providing solutions for coping, engaging and taking action.