Climate change is a global challenge that requires immediate individual and collective action. The self-evident fact that information alone is unable to motivate action suggests that effective communications and engagement will be critical in stimulating the required response. This research project explores how strategic thinking can be employed to support the New Zealand Government's climate change communication and engagement objectives. Strategic thinking is the active and deliberate pursuit of synthesising evidence with a creative anticipation of what might be possible. Rather than work within parameters set by precedent and convention, it represents the deliberate intent to question, disrupt and design new courses of action. This research explores the inertia in mainstream attitudes and behaviours towards climate change; relevant communications and social science best practice and theory; recent trends in New Zealand; and views and opinions from a diverse range of experts. The research outcome is a set of interconnected and interdependent principles that serve to inform and lead the development of a national climate change communications and engagement strategy.