EXCERPT
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. Once we focus on the how, we can begin to understand that support for different solutions to tackle climate change may be contingent on people’s preference for individual freedom. With this understanding in mind, we can offer a constructive path forward.
Overstating Climate Denialism
To a large extent, media coverage, including social media, informs our perceptions on the newsworthy events in the world (3). For reasons of economic survival, news outlets focus on what they believe appeals most to their readership (4). Climate change denial, particularly that coming from individuals or organizations with power, elicits strong negative or positive reactions in people, resulting in more viewers/readers. For this reason, the media may report on climate change denial more often than on nuanced debates around effective solutions to climate change.Continuing to argue with the small number of individuals here who reject AGW theory and the IPCC's assessed conclusions regarding the state of the science at this point is divisive and gives a much larger voice to denialism than their numbers or their arguments deserve.
