Climate scientists agree. The earth is getting warmer and extreme weather is becoming more and more intense, which is due to people’s burning of fossil fuels. But climate science is being questioned – and in some cases denied.
In the latest SOM survey that came out last year from the University of Gothenburg, 19 percent of Swedes answer that they are unsure whether “environmental changes are mainly caused by human activities” is a “true statement”. Eight percent believe that the researchers are wrong. 73 percent respond that they agree with the statement.
Mikael Karlsson, docent in environmental science at Uppsala University, thinks the numbers are worrying.
– The climate crisis is the biggest social and economic threat humanity has faced. It is very important that people understand that it is real and that we need to take measures, he says.
“Poisoned information landscape”
Åsa Wikforss is a professor of theoretical philosophy and has researched knowledge denial. Among other things, she has written the book Alternativa fakta, which was distributed to Swedish schoolchildren.
She thinks it is important to understand the background to why people deny climate science, despite the fact that the agreement among climate scientists is almost total.
– They may have received a lot of misinformation. It is a poisoned information landscape. It is important to be humble about it and not assume that people are stupid, she says.
Polarization in political issues
The climate issue is surrounded by many conspiracy theories and this is due, among other things, to the fact that climate science is relevant to political decisions, according to Åsa Wikforss. She points out that there is similar polarization in several topics such as vaccines, wolves and other environmental issues.
-If someone doesn’t like a political decision, it can be a good way to stop it by questioning the scientific basis. The coal and oil industry has for several decades worked very actively to sow doubt around the science of the climate, she says.
Mikael Karlsson believes that the biggest risk with people who deny climate science is that they can influence politics.
– It will be more difficult for politicians who want to reduce emissions, if many voters believe that it is not real, he says.