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How to fight against the "climatoscepticisme"? (Policy Brief 304 - November 2012)

How to fight against the "climatoscepticisme"? (Policy Brief 304 - November 2012)

26/11/12

 

This note examines the perception of scientific discourse on climate threat by the general public in six countries "key" international negotiations s: South Africa, Brazil, China, the U.S., France and India .

  • How to fight against the "climatoscepticisme?"
    Climate Risks and public opinion

In global climate governance, countries are now free to choose what reductions in greenhouse gas emissions they intend to undertake. Joint efforts currently contemplated should not however help avoid dramatic and irreversible phenomena. In this context, public opinion can not serve as a "rappel" makers and encourage them to increase efforts to reduce emissions if they are convinced that climate risks.

The issue is more complex than it seems: the disappointment provoked by the failure of the Copenhagen summit, the magnitude of the economic crisis and the media controversy over the work of climate led to a decline in the sense concern vis-à-vis climate change and the need to act, especially in developed countries.

The study of the perception of scientific discourse by public opinion reveals three main findings: First, awareness of the climate threat opinions is very different from one country to another, but still generally less meaningful in emerging countries, then, the scientific consensus about the existence of human-induced climate change is widely recognized in all States, except the United States, and finally public opinion emerging countries are difficult to identify - the climatoscepticisme seems little now, but developed countries are sometimes suspected of wanting to impose constraints on economic development, in the name of climate change. Facilitate the understanding of scientific discourse by public opinion is a fundamental issue to rally votes around a truly ambitious new global agreement in 2015.

Summary

  • Very different situations in the major players in the climate negotiations
  • Understand the differences between scientific discourse and public opinion
  • Recommendations to defend an inconvenient truth
  • Authors: Dominique Auverlot Bar and Blandine, Department of Sustainable Development .

Keywords: climatoscepticisme, public opinion, China, Brazil, USA, France, South Africa, IPCC, Tea Party, blog, web survey, climate change, climate.

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