• Why focusing on “climate change denial” is counterproductive

• Christian Bretter
• Felix Schulz

• https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2217716120

date

• March 1, 2023

claim

• We believe that the dichotomous view of
  • climate change “deniers” and
  • climate change “accepters”
• is not helpful.
• This way of framing the debate only stymies our path to a zero-carbon future. It does so for three primary reasons:
  • First, it creates an inaccurate picture by overstating the share and importance of climate change deniers for tackling climate change.
  • Second, a focus on climate denialism divides and polarizes society, further preventing constructive engagement with different opinions.
  • Third, it distracts us from concentrating on the more pressing question: how we should tackle climate change, not if.

comment

• I disagree with some of the claims, especially when there is a spectrum of disbelief that has significant impacts on dealing with climate crisis effectively.
  • for example, there is a lot of climate change denialism in the Republican party which is holding up adequate funding for dealing effectively with the climate crisis.