Talking with your conservative uncle about climate change Saturday, October 21 Georgia Sierra Club Fall Gathering 1
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Defining Evidence-Based Advocacy Evidence is information that helps us determine what we know and how we know that we know it through an identifiable and systematic process. Evidence-based advocacy involves using this information rather than relying solely on intuition or past action to design and implement campaigns that will make our work better: more effective, more efficient, and easier to scale.
Understanding Conservative mindsets
The Righteous Mind & Moral Foundations Theory I was a self-righteous, conservative-hating, religion-hating, secular liberal. That feeling of losing my anger was freeing. - Jonathan Haidt
What we know: Conservative climate and energy opinion
Over half of Conservatives understand that global warming is happening but divided over the underlying cause. 16
Conservatives are not monolithic in their opinion or actions. Trump voter typology When our generation is in power, we will take climate change much more seriously. -Grace Woodward, Davidson College Republicans 17
Conservatives are not monolithic in their opinion or actions. Do you favor or oppose the Federal Government taking steps to reduce emissions of gases like carbon dioxide and methane emissions that cause global climate change? 18
Conservatives are not monolithic in their opinion or actions. Do you want Senator-elect David Perdue to support or oppose efforts to address the effects of climate change on local communities? +28 support 55% Want Perdue to: Strongly support 40% 27% Nunn voters Perdue voters Support efforts on climate change 77% 38% Oppose efforts on climate change 11% 41% Support efforts on climate change Oppose efforts on climate change Democrats Independents Republicans 77% 51% 38% 11% 28% 40% 19
Those conservatives who are dismissive of science are not (necessarily) ignorant. 20
Conservative opinion is most responsive to the cues of conservative elites. In official meteorological circles they believe that Al Gore is correct about climate change. They desire to advance this climate change agenda and hurricanes are one of the fastest and best ways to do it. 21
So building a safe, conservative climate identity is key Because acceptance of climate change is more closely linked to how we identify politically than general understanding of science, many Conservative Republicans are fearful that acceptance would lead them to be ostracized by their peer group. 22
And the messenger really matters. 23
And the messenger really matters. University of New Hampshire, 2016 Bruce Hardy, Temple University, 2015
More and/or more convincing science does not (necessarily) reduce denial. Theory of motivated reasoning suggests people seek out and filter for information that reinforces existing beliefs and world views. Embracing seemingly legitimate skeptical science allows conservatives to continue to think that climate change is a hoax. 25
Inoculating against opposition arguments and allowing folks to look at the data/come to their own conclusions can be useful 26
The policy proposal makes a difference. Solutions to climate change require coordinated and global action, which run counter to conservatives desire for less government. Polarization, in part, results from an aversion to these solutions, rather denial of the science. 27
Everyone loves clean energy even Trump voters. 28
Everyone loves clean energy even across the South Do you think that, as a country, the United States should put more emphasis, less emphasis, or about the same emphasis as it does now on producing domestic energy from each of the following sources... 29
And people in Georgia! 30
There are organizations within the climate and clean energy community who are successfully engaging their conservative members and supporters on climate! 31
National Audubon Society 32
Environmental Defense Fund Individualizing morality Binding morality (Wolsko, Ariceaga, & Seiden, 2016) 33
How to structure a productive conversation
Former climate change deniers, what changed your mind? Family values most common source of scienceresistant beliefs Science is the biggest factor in shifting mindsets Stewardship and care for Earth have universal appeal Weird, warm, and wild weather help convince people that climate change is real I grew up actively and obnoxiously denying climate change because my dad told me it wasn t real. it s just difficult for me to deny it with the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence that supports it. From what I ve learned about the process it just makes too much sense to sound fake. I m just worried that future generations down the line that do have to worry about it will look back and wonder why we didn t do anything when we had a chance. the past 3 or 4 years the weather has just been totally bizarre. Winters have been unusually warm, with flash major snow storms scattered throughout, and it s gotten to the point where something just blatantly feels wrong about it. 35
Begin from a place of love (or at least like) and humility Because this is your Uncle! (Or Aunt, or friend/neighbor/co-worker) Don t start off by making your case about why you re right. Start off by saying, my side has gotten some things wrong. We were wrong about this, historically, you guys were right about that. Or start off praising something that about the person his/her life and values. 36
Lead with feelings, not facts; reference shared values I know you love spending time in nature/protecting God s creation/leaving the world a better place than we found it for our children and grandchildren/etc. and I do, too. I care about climate change because I am really jazzed for our clean energy future because 37
Listen to understand -- as much as (or more than ) you talk If you don t know already, get a better sense of what they understand (and don t understand) about climate change and clean energy issues And really listen don t just spend your time in debate mode, making a mental list of all the ways they are wrong and how you will show them that! Most people DON T think about this issue when they wake up in the morning and as they fall asleep every night, so their understanding is fairly superficial 38
Share your own story of understanding and it s okay to talk about science When did you first learn about climate change? What was difficult to understand at first? Where did you go for more information? Acknowledge the complexity and how overwhelming it seems State and reinforce the scientific consensus e.g. there is no doubt in the scientific community, and you trust scientists. Use analogies, when helpful e.g. A NASA scientist explained that expecting sea ice extent to return to its 1979 level based on the improvement in 2013 is like earning a C on a first exam, a D on a second, an F on a third, a D on a fourth and as a result of that recent D, anticipating an A on the final. 39
Share personal stories about climate impacts Help people realize that climate change is already upon us, right here, right now. It s not remote in time or in distance For people with more weakly-held beliefs, pointing out changes in weather patterns and/or natural cycles has been shown to impact people s opinions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions Obviously, there are not shortage of these stories in our current world! If it makes sense, take about the least of these piece e.g. climate change will have a greatest impact on the most vulnerable in our communities 40
Don t expect them to change their mind in the moment As we talked about at the very beginning of this session, letting go of a long-held belief is really hard. Leave people materials or point them to resources online from trusted messengers 41
Be nice J Re-affirm your love (or like) for the person and how you value the relationship. I know we may disagree on some things, but I always appreciate x, y, and z about you. Ending on a positive note helps to leave the door open for future conversations and follow-up. 42