Trust in climate science and climate scientists: A qualitative review
We review the three topics of relevance to climate science: The current state of trust, reasons for distrust, and how political engagement affects trust. We then draw on insights from social science research to recommend how climate communicators can become more trustworthy.
Abstract
Trust in climate science provides the foundation for evidence-based policymaking on climate change mitigation and adaptation. If the IPCC and climate scientists are right, global decarbonization should be one of humanity’s top priorities. Yet, most countries are not on track to meet the emissions reduction goal ratified under the Paris Agreement and strategies to meet this goal are lacking. Here we consider the possibility that lack of public trust in climate science and climate scientists may undermine the effectiveness of climate science communication. To this end, we qualitatively review three topics of relevance to climate science and climate scientists: 1) The current state of trust; 2) Reasons for distrust; 3) How political engagement affects trust. We then draw on insights from social science research to recommend how climate change communicators can become more trustworthy.
___________________________________________________________
Please cite as: Cologna, V., Kotcher, J., Mede, N. G., Besley, J. C., Maibach, E., & Oreskes, N. Trust in climate science and climate scientists: A qualitative review. Preprint. doi: 10.31234/osf.io/hj2xk
Link to preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/hj2xk
Summary on social media: Thread by Viktoria Cologna on X
Niels G. Mede
Science Communication Researcher
I am a Senior Research and Teaching Associate at the Department of Communication and Media Research (IKMZ) of the University of Zurich, where I also completed a PhD in communication studies. My work focuses on science communication, public opinion, populism, digital media, climate change communication, and survey methodology. From March to May 2022, I joined the Department of Life Sciences Communication of the University of Wisconsin—Madison as a visiting scholar. From May to August 2023, I was a visiting researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute.