CLEAN Climate Workshop Communicating Climate Science & Countering Disinformation

1. CLEAN Climate Workshop Communicating Climate Science & Countering Disinformation John Cook

4. “If you can't explain your physics to a barmaid, it is probably not very good physics.” ERNST RUTHERFORD

7. iPhone App “The pocket-sized miracle that you always wish you had during a climate change conversation gone awry.” World Wildlife Fund http://sks.to/iphone

8. “A major contribution to the growing body of well-reasoned analyses of climate change denial.” Riley Dunlap, Professor of Sociology, Oklahoma State University “The best available guide to recognizing and combating climate change denial.” Spencer Weart, author of The Discovery of Global Warming http://sks.to/denial

11. Roadblocks to understanding climate change

12. Roadblocks to understanding climate change • External Roadblocks • Disinformation campaign

14. Roadblocks to understanding climate change • External Roadblocks • Disinformation campaign • Mainstream media

16. Roadblocks to understanding climate change • External Roadblocks • Disinformation campaign • Mainstream media • Internal Roadblocks • Ideology

18. Roadblocks to understanding climate change • External Roadblocks • Disinformation campaign • Mainstream media • Internal Roadblocks • Ideology • Finite Pool of Worry

19. Roadblocks to understanding climate change • External Roadblocks • Disinformation campaign • Mainstream media • Internal Roadblocks • Ideology • Finite Pool of Worry • Aversion to doom & gloom

20. The Psychology of Climate Change Human psychology is not rocket science…

21. The Psychology of Climate Change Human psychology is not rocket science… …it’s much more complicated.

22. Schwarz et al 2007 • The “backfire effect” – trying to debunk a myth can reinforce it in people’s minds

23. Schwarz et al 2007 • The “backfire effect” – trying to debunk a myth can reinforce it in people’s minds • Solution: emphasis on facts rather than myth

24. Example: Guide to Skepticism http://sks.to/guide

25. Seifert 2002 • Most effective way to dislodge misinformation is to replace it with an alternative narrative

26. Seifert 2002 • Most effective way to dislodge misinformation is to replace it with an alternative narrative • People think in stories, narratives & metaphors

27. Debunking a Climate Myth “Nature produces nearly all of the carbon dioxide in the air. Human beings produce point 001 percent of the carbon dioxide in the air.” ALAN JONES

31. 5 characteristics of denial • Diethelm & McKee 2007 • All movements that deny a scientific consensus have 5 characteristics in common

32. 5 characteristics of denial • Cherry Picking

36. 5 characteristics of denial • Cherry Picking • Fake Experts

38. The OISM Petition Project

39. 5 characteristics of denial • Cherry Picking • Fake Experts • Impossible Expectations

40. Our understanding of the Greenhouse Warming

41. 5 characteristics of denial • Cherry Picking • Fake Experts • Impossible Expectations • Misrepresentation & Logical fallacies

42. “Climate has changed in the past”

45. 5 characteristics of denial • Cherry Picking • Fake Experts • Impossible Expectations • Misrepresentation &Logical fallacies • Conspiracy Theories

46. “Climategate”

48. 5 characteristics of denial • Cherry Picking • Fake Experts • Impossible Expectations • Misrepresentation &Logical fallacies • Conspiracy Theories Denying the full body of evidence

49. www.skepticalscience.com john@skepticalscience.com