Highlighting scientific consensus on climate change shifts beliefs

Skepticism around the reality of climate change remains a significant global issue, despite an almost unanimous consensus among scientists that human activities are the primary driver of this environmental crisis.

However, a new study suggests that actively revealing the extent of this scientific agreement to the public can effectively change perceptions, promoting greater awareness and strengthening belief in the severity and urgency of climate change.

Scientific perspective

The research, co-led by Bojana Većkalov at the University of Amsterdam and Sandra Geiger of the University of Vienna, finds that communicating the consensus among scientists can clear up misperceptions and bolster beliefs about climate change.

Scientific agreement that humans are the primary cause of climate change has been robust since the 1980s, with an overwhelming 97% to 99.9% of climate scientists in agreement.

“There is near-universal consensus in the peer-reviewed scientific literature that the climate is changing as a result of human activity,” wrote the study authors.

“However, the public often considerably underestimates this consensus, which is evident even in recent data from six European countries (estimates range from 65% in the United Kingdom to 71% in Ireland.”

Concern about the dangers of climate change

Previous research, largely based in the United States, demonstrated that people who read a brief statement highlighting this overwhelming scientific consensus exhibited significantly increased awareness and concern about the reality and dangers of climate change.

This effect was notably stronger compared to those who were exposed to unrelated expert statements, indicating the powerful influence of clear, concise messaging about scientific agreement on public perception.

In response to reading about the 97 percent consensus, people adjusted their perceptions of the scientific consensus, believed more in climate change, and worried more about it.

“However, they did not support public action on climate change more, though other research has found that support for action can be stimulated indirectly by changing how people think and feel about climate change.” explained co-lead author Sandra Geiger.

Climate awareness beyond borders

Despite these promising findings, most research on consensus communication has focused on American perceptions.

This study, involving an international team of 46 researchers, expanded the scope by surveying more than 10,500 participants across 27 countries on six continents.

The results confirmed that communicating the scientific consensus on climate change effectively shifts beliefs globally, not just in the United States.

“These findings hold true across diverse cultures and contexts,” added Bojana Većkalov, highlighting the global relevance of consensus messaging.

However, the study also noted that while belief in climate change and concern about its impacts increased, this did not directly translate into greater support for public action against climate change.

Crisis consensus: A surprising result

Interestingly, when participants were informed that 88% of climate scientists view climate change as a crisis, this information did not significantly change their beliefs.

Većkalov suggested that the smaller gap between the actual and perceived consensus on the crisis aspect may have limited its impact.

“A smaller gap means people already perceived a high crisis consensus before learning about it, which might have prevented any further changes in beliefs about climate change,” she explained.

Consensus on climate change

These findings emphasizes the importance of continuing to highlight the scientific consensus on climate change, both in media and everyday conversations.

“In the face of increasing politicization of science and misinformation about climate change, cultivating universal awareness of the scientific consensus will help protect public understanding of the issue,” noted Sander van der Linden, the senior author of the study.

Global collaboration for global impact

The research not only sheds light on the importance of climate change communication but also highlights the value of global collaboration in behavioral science.

Study co-author Kai Ruggeri, professor of health policy and management at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, emphasized the significance of this research in enhancing public understanding.

“Such endeavors are only possible if we bring together researchers from around the world. What is particularly unique about this work is the involvement of students and early-career researchers from the Junior Researcher Programme (JRP) and the Global Behavioral Science (GLOBES) program at Columbia University,” said Ruggeri.

This collaborative approach ensures that findings are robust, inclusive, and applicable across diverse populations, providing a more comprehensive understanding of public attitudes toward climate change.

The study is published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.

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