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Climate change denial

Climate change denial (also global warming denial) is a form of science denial characterized by rejecting, refusing to acknowledge, disputing, or fighting the extensive evidence for anthropogenic global warming that has led to a scientific consensus on climate change. Those promoting denial commonly use rhetorical tactics to give the appearance of a scientific controversy where none exists. Climate change denial includes raising unreasonable doubts about the extent to which climate change is caused by humans, its effects on nature and human society, and understating the costs of climate change adaptation while overstating the costs of mitigating it. To a lesser extent, climate change denial can also be implicit when people accept the science but fail to reconcile it with their belief or action.

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Action items

Prevention steps

  1. StopNotice a strong emotion (anger, fear, 'they don't want you to know') before you share. Pause first.
  2. Investigate the sourceWho is making the claim, what's their expertise, and what do they gain if you believe it?
  3. Find better coverageRead laterally: open new tabs and see what independent outlets and fact-checkers say.
  4. Trace claims to the originFind the original study, video or document. Check dates and whether quotes are cut.
  5. Ask what would change your mindReal theories can be tested. If every piece of counter-evidence 'proves' the cover-up, it can't be.
  6. Count the peopleBig secret plots need thousands of people to stay silent for years. That rarely happens.
  7. Talk, don't mockWith friends or family, ask questions, listen, share your own sources calmly. Shame backfires.
  8. PrebunkLearn the common tricks (cherry-picking, fake experts, false dilemmas) so you spot them early.

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