Generative engine optimisation: how to future-proof your climate content

AI is transforming how people discover information and, while the search landscape has been evolving for years, the pace has accelerated dramatically with AI. Consider this: AI Overviews can reduce organic click-through rates by up to 54.6%, as users increasingly get what they need without ever clicking a link. The future of search now means that your strategies may require a rethink.        

For climate communicators, this represents not just a shift in tools – it is a shift in trust, reach and influence. Generative engine optimisation (GEO) ensures your climate expertise is accessible at the moment it is most needed – when decision-makers turn to AI platforms for answers.

At Greenhouse, we see GEO as a natural evolution of good quality climate communications: one that supports urgent impact, strengthens visibility and amplifies authority across AI ecosystems.

What is generative engine optimisation?

Generative engine optimisation is the process of structuring your content so that AI systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google’s AI Overviews can recognise, cite and recommend your expertise in response to complex queries.

For example, when a policymaker asks, “What’s the best carbon pricing strategy for small economies?”, or a CFO searches, “Which renewable energy options are cost-effective for manufacturing businesses?”, GEO ensures your insights are part of that answer.

It is not about chasing algorithms. It is about making sure your evidence-based climate solutions surface in a world where people increasingly ask machines instead of typing keywords.

If SEO was about helping search engines find your content, GEO is about helping AI systems understand and use your content. It’s the evolution of SEO – built for a world where users get answers, not links, and where content is chosen based on authority, clarity and context.

Why your climate content must be AI-ready

Generative engines are rapidly becoming the first stop for sustainability research. From internal business tools to public search platforms, AI is now shaping how policy, investment and operational decisions are made.

For climate organisations, this presents a high-stakes opportunity:

• Reach the right audience faster – especially those seeking strategic, expert-backed advice
  
• Shape complex conversations by contributing multi-disciplinary insight
  
• Amplify authority through consistent AI recognition and citation
  

GEO enables your content to meet the rising demand for integrated, trusted climate guidance – particularly across energy, finance, food, health, culture and transport sectors.

What stays the same: strong content foundations

GEO builds on – not replaces – the foundations of effective communications:

• Authority still wins: Research-backed, expert-led and experience-driven content is essential. AI models favour clarity, credibility and practical relevance
  
• Expertise is essential: Content that is well researched, evidence-based and informative will always do well. Play to your strengths and use your expertise to shape the narrative
  
• Structure still matters: Clear headings, accessible language and topic cohesion help AI systems identify and extract key insights
  
• Technical hygiene still counts: Fast-loading pages, mobile optimisation, good page schema and crawlable site architecture remain fundamental
  

In other words: the work you’ve already invested in SEO is not lost – it is just the starting point.

What’s evolving: how queries and content interact

While the foundations stay the same, user behaviour has changed. And with it, expectations around content delivery.

A few key shifts:

• Search is now conversational: People ask full, complex questions instead of typing keywords. Your content must answer “how”, “why” and “what next?” – not just “what is”
  
• People expect synthesis, not sources: AI platforms condense ideas from multiple sources into one answer. If your insights are not structured for easy interpretation, they will be skipped
  
• Engagement metrics are changing: Click-throughs are no longer the only measure. Citation frequency, reference depth and trust signals all matter now
  

GEO in action: strategies for climate communicators

Organisations that lead in GEO are not those producing more content – they are the ones producing better, deeper and more answerable content. Here’s how to make the move:

1. Focus on question-centric content

Start with real-world queries your audience asks – those important user questions matter even more now.. For example:

• “How can we decarbonise food supply chains in low-income regions?”
  
• “What does biodiversity loss mean for financial risk disclosures?”
  

Use these as the foundation for your resources. Move beyond surface explanations and provide actionable, detailed insight.

2. Show your expertise in action

AI tools recognise credibility through specificity. Go beyond claims and include:

• Case studies
  
• Frameworks
  
• Data points and sources
  
• Real-world examples
  
• Transparent discussions of what worked – and what didn’t
  

This depth distinguishes genuine expertise from generic commentary.

3. Connect the dots

Climate solutions are interconnected. Demonstrate how your knowledge fits into broader systems. For example:

• Link energy storage to grid stability
  
• Connect sustainable transport to urban design
  
• Tie food system shifts to water use and soil health
  
• Demonstrate how water usage directly impacts health outcomes
  

This systems-level view is exactly what generative AI platforms seeks when building coherent responses.

4. Make your content AI-readable

Include descriptive text for visuals, clear labelling for data and consistent context for statistics. When your infographics, charts or diagrams are explained in words, your content becomes more visible across platforms that process both language and media.

5. Use internal linking to demonstrate authority

Help AI systems understand your knowledge network. If you mention carbon markets, link to your in-depth guide on emissions monitoring, your impact case study and your policy explainer.

This layered approach mirrors how AI systems assess content value and interconnectedness.

Measuring your GEO performance

To understand whether your GEO efforts are working, track more than web analytics.

• Reference tracking: Use new tools to monitor where and how AI systems cite your content
  
• Query alignment: Analyse whether your resources answer the questions your audience is asking
  
• Authority signals: Check whether your content is being surfaced in AI-generated overviews or voice assistant responses
  

GEO success is about being present at the point of decision – not just the point of click.

Navigating the environmental context of AI

It is important to recognise the environmental cost of AI systems. However, when applied strategically, these platforms offer a powerful way to scale climate impact faster than conventional media channels allow.

Focus your GEO work on content that enables action:

• Accelerating decarbonisation
  
• Supporting adaptation strategies
  
• Advancing environmental justice
  

GEO should not be used for creating more content. It should serve real-world outcomes.

Where to go next

GEO is not a standalone tactic – it is a strategic evolution of your communications. Done well, it can support:

• Policy influence: Ensure your insights are embedded in how decision-makers research climate solutions
  
• Investor confidence: Be visible when funders seek expert guidance on climate risk and opportunity
  
• Stakeholder education: Make complex topics accessible for everyone, from boardrooms and policy teams to classrooms and businesses
  

Ready to lead in the AI era of climate communications?

Greenhouse helps climate organisations structure content for impact – so your knowledge reaches the people who need it, where and when it matters most.

Let’s talk about how to make your expertise AI-ready and climate-action focused.