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Climate change: why do the facts fail to convince?

By Tom Harris - posted Monday, 4 June 2012


Other studies from the Yale Law School group have shown that even the public's perception of who is, and who is not, an expert in climate science is heavily influenced by whether or not the expert's worldview is perceived to coincide with that of the listener. Clearly, we need more advocates for the climate realist position who are seen to subscribe to an egalitarian-communitarian worldview.

Although there was a small decrease observed in the public's overall concern about global warming as scientific literacy increases, the issue became increasingly polarized as literacy rose, the May 27 Nature Climate Changepaper showed. In other words, skeptics become more skeptical and alarmists become more alarmist as they learn more about science and mathematics. Regardless, researchers found that the impact of cultural worldview was far greater than the impact of scientific literacy. What matters most, researchers find, is who is advocating the position being presented and how they are presenting it.

These findings will dishearten traditional science educators who for years have focused on disseminating clear and well-supported descriptions of the way nature works in the hopes that the public will come to more rational conclusions on issues such as global warming. It will also disappoint those who, because of their perceived political and philosophical positions, have little chance of swaying segments of the population who hold opposing worldviews. This does not imply that their work is not important, however. For example, many people with hierarchical-individualistic worldviews still support the climate scare and clearly these individuals must be the primary target audience for think tanks and other groups who hold strong free-market and other capitalist views.

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The Cultural Cognition Project research findings reinforce the importance of the non-partisan, worldview-neutral strategy of groups such as the International Climate Science Coalition. Such an approach helps make it "safe" for people from across the social and cultural spectrum to work together without threatening anyone's values. This is critical if we are to expand the tent of those who want to finally end the expensive and highly divisive climate debate in favor of rational climate and energy policy.

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This article was first published on PJ Media on May 30, 2012. It summarizes Tom's May 21, 2012 presentation at 7th International Conference on Climate Change hosted by the Heartland Institute at the Chicago Hilton. Mr. Harris’ presentation may be viewed on line here. Watch a TV discussion of this work here.



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About the Author

Tom Harris is an Ottawa-based mechanical engineer and Executive Director of the International Climate Science Coalition.

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