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State of the Planet

State of the Planet

Science

Science

On Hurricanes and Hoaxes: A Case for Finding Common Ground

State of the Planet
Summary
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72% Informative

A 2020 survey found that roughly 25% of the U.S. population expressed some agreement with the sentiment that climate change is a hoax.

As climate change intensifies, so do the disasters that come with it, writes Emma Watson .

Watson : Conspiracy theories are most powerful when they exploit deep-seated fears and insecurities.

People are drawn to the idea that powerful groups are secretly manipulating the world around us.

Many feel psychologically distant from climate change, seeing it as someone else’s problem or as an abstract issue that doesn’t affect their daily lives.

Others, particularly in wealthy countries, experience solution aversion, fearing that climate solutions will be worse than climate change itself.

Rosie Semlyen : If we want to shift the middle ground, we have to be persistent. Be kind. Be patient, be patient.