How facts can fight climate denial

In a nation where one in four citizens do not believe in climate change, it can feel impossible for climate communicators to convince the American people of its dangers. However, they may have an unexpected tool in their arsenal: strength in numbers.

In August 2024, a study from Nature Human Behavior found that more people believed in the existence of climate change when told that scientists widely agree that it is real. The study is based on an online survey of 10,527 participants across 27 countries. Participants were asked to estimate the proportion of scientists who believed in climate change caused by people, followed by a series of questions about their own views on the climate crisis. Next, participants were shown a series of facts about climate change, including a statistic stating that 97% of scientists believed in human-caused climate change.  

Across the study, participants who received the consensus statistic were, in general, more likely to change their views to be more accepting of climate change than those who just received basic facts about climate change. 

These findings suggest a new strategy for climate communicators to fight back against climate denial, especially as concerns over climate change wane. According to a 2022 national survey, only 54% of the general public believe climate change poses a major threat, down 58% from 2021. Therefore, it is essential that climate communicators create a united front to reinstill public urgency in the climate crisis. 

Unfortunately, consensus-based climate communication alone is not enough to inspire action. Though such communication can change the information people believe, the study saw no correlation between climate communication and support for direct action. To inspire action, climate communicators must also meet the public where they are, delivering information in a simple, concise way in the spaces where people are already listening. 

A 2023 report from the Center for Climate Change Communication recommends communicating about climate change in as simple a way as possible, tailoring the message to the audience. The report also suggests climate communicators avoid technical terms and jargon, so as to not confuse the audience.  

When science seems too confusing, people have the tendency to stop paying attention, instead relying on what they already know to fill in the blanks. As a result, audiences misunderstand information based on their preexisting misconceptions. Climate communications must be tailored to audiences to ensure information is interpreted correctly. 

 “The future of climate action depends not just on what is said, but how—and where—those messages are delivered”

The future of climate action depends not just on what is said, but how — and where — those messages are delivered. This is easier said than done for climate communicators deep in the weeds with information, but is crucial to grow the public’s understanding of climate change. Public understanding of the climate crisis is just one step in reversing the impacts of climate change, but it is an essential aspect of growing support for initiatives that seek to stop climate change.