The psychology behind climate change denial.

[sjastro]

The psychologist Robert Gifford summarized this denial.

"We are hindered by seven categories of psychological barriers, also known as dragons of inaction: limited cognition about the problem, ideological worldviews that tend to preclude pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, comparisons with other key people, sunk costs and behavioral momentum, discordance toward experts and authorities, perceived risk of change, and positive but inadequate behavior change"

On this site I see the following dragons of inaction as being the most prevalent, limited cognition, ideological (including religious) worldviews, comparisons with other key people (e.g. Tucker Carlson) and discordance toward experts and authorities.

A more general description of the denial is found in this video.

 

[AlexB23]

The psychologist Robert Gifford summarized this denial.

On this site I see the following dragons of inaction as being the most prevalent, limited cognition, ideological (including religious) worldviews, comparisons with other key people (e.g. Tucker Carlson) and discordance toward experts and authorities.

A more general description of the denial is found in this video.

I like his hair, the host of the YouTube channel. But yeah, Big Oil has also brainwashed a lot of Americans as well.

For fellow Christians, the Bible mentions stewardship of the Earth, and even gives a dire warning to those who ruin our Earth. This is a verse analysis that I did on April 21, a day early for Earth Day.

Date	April 21, 2024
Verse	Genesis 2:15: "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Isaiah 24:4-6: "The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left." Jeremiah 2:7: "I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable."
Explanation	These verses from the Bible, Genesis 2:15, Jeremiah 2:7, and Isaiah 24:4-6, speak to the relationship between humanity and the Earth, highlighting our role as stewards and the consequences of disobedience and neglect. Genesis 2:15 sets the stage for God placing Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it, indicating a divine mandate for humans to tend to the Earth. This responsibility extends beyond just working the land but also involves taking good care of it. Jeremiah 2:7 emphasizes God's provision of a fertile land for His people to enjoy its fruit and rich produce, but they defiled it instead. This verse serves as a reminder that we are not the owners of the Earth but rather caretakers, and our actions have consequences on the land and future generations. Isaiah 24:4-6 speaks of the Earth being defiled by its people due to their disobedience and violation of divine laws. The passage suggests a curse upon the Earth, leading to scarcity and destruction. This verse relates to modern issues such as anthropogenic global warming and pollution in that human actions are causing detrimental effects on the Earth, ultimately affecting its ability to sustain life as intended.
Life Anecdote	In the context of our modern world, these verses call us to be good stewards of the Earth and apply biblical principles to mitigate environmental degradation. Here are some ways we can apply these verses to our lives in 2024: 1. Cultivate a mindset of care and respect for the Earth as God's creation, acknowledging our responsibility to tend to it. 2. Reduce our carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and adopting ecological practices in daily life (ex. composting, using energy efficient LED bulbs, riding a bike to the store, driving small fuel-efficient Japanese hybrids/crossovers). 3. Support and advocate for environmentally sustainable policies, including reducing plastic use, promoting recycling, investing in public transport & mixed-use urban developments, and minimizing waste. 4. Practice conservation by preserving natural resources and protecting habitats for various species. 5. Educate ourselves and others about the importance of caring for the Earth as a moral imperative, rather than just an environmental concern. 6. Pray for God's guidance in our efforts to be good stewards of the Earth and ask for His help in overcoming challenges related to caring for creation.

 

[Ophiolite]

The psychologist Robert Gifford summarized this denial.

On this site I see the following dragons of inaction as being the most prevalent, limited cognition, ideological (including religious) worldviews, comparisons with other key people (e.g. Tucker Carlson) and discordance toward experts and authorities.

A more general description of the denial is found in this video.

I tend to a more emotional explanation, which has the advantage of simplification: human intelligence has been grossly overestimated.

 

[sjastro]

I like his hair, the host of the YouTube channel. But yeah, Big Oil has also brainwashed a lot of Americans as well.

For fellow Christians, the Bible mentions stewardship of the Earth, and even gives a dire warning to those who ruin our Earth. This is a verse analysis that I did on April 21, a day early for Earth Day.

Date	April 21, 2024
Verse	Genesis 2:15: "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Isaiah 24:4-6: "The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the heavens languish with the earth. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left." Jeremiah 2:7: "I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable."
Explanation	These verses from the Bible, Genesis 2:15, Jeremiah 2:7, and Isaiah 24:4-6, speak to the relationship between humanity and the Earth, highlighting our role as stewards and the consequences of disobedience and neglect. Genesis 2:15 sets the stage for God placing Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it, indicating a divine mandate for humans to tend to the Earth. This responsibility extends beyond just working the land but also involves taking good care of it. Jeremiah 2:7 emphasizes God's provision of a fertile land for His people to enjoy its fruit and rich produce, but they defiled it instead. This verse serves as a reminder that we are not the owners of the Earth but rather caretakers, and our actions have consequences on the land and future generations. Isaiah 24:4-6 speaks of the Earth being defiled by its people due to their disobedience and violation of divine laws. The passage suggests a curse upon the Earth, leading to scarcity and destruction. This verse relates to modern issues such as anthropogenic global warming and pollution in that human actions are causing detrimental effects on the Earth, ultimately affecting its ability to sustain life as intended.
Life Anecdote	In the context of our modern world, these verses call us to be good stewards of the Earth and apply biblical principles to mitigate environmental degradation. Here are some ways we can apply these verses to our lives in 2024: 1. Cultivate a mindset of care and respect for the Earth as God's creation, acknowledging our responsibility to tend to it. 2. Reduce our carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and adopting ecological practices in daily life (ex. composting, using energy efficient LED bulbs, riding a bike to the store, driving small fuel-efficient Japanese hybrids/crossovers). 3. Support and advocate for environmentally sustainable policies, including reducing plastic use, promoting recycling, investing in public transport & mixed-use urban developments, and minimizing waste. 4. Practice conservation by preserving natural resources and protecting habitats for various species. 5. Educate ourselves and others about the importance of caring for the Earth as a moral imperative, rather than just an environmental concern. 6. Pray for God's guidance in our efforts to be good stewards of the Earth and ask for His help in overcoming challenges related to caring for creation.

Unfortunately there are Christians here that are so anti science they will oppose climate change as matter of principle because it involves science.
They then read their prejudices into the Bible which is then presented as Biblical verses to make their point.

 

[AlexB23]

Unfortunately there are Christians here that are so anti science they will oppose climate change as matter of principle because it involves science.
They then read their prejudices into the Bible which is then presented as Biblical verses to make their point.

Agreed, and it is so sad that some Christians twist the verses for their own benefit.

Seems that the Christians are ignoring Psalm 111:2, which is a verse for people that study creation (eg. climatologists, scientists, etc). This is a devotional that I did on this verse.

Date​	April 11, 2024​
Verse​	Psalm 111:2 (ESV): Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.​
Explanation​	Psalm 111:2 expresses wonder at God's great works or deeds, which are studied by all who delight in them. Scientists engage with these works through their research and discovery. Faith and science complement each other, as both acknowledge God's presence and power in the natural world. Scientific inquiry is driven by a belief in a deeper meaning to the universe and a recognition of God's involvement. The verse affirms that studying God's works deepens our appreciation for and connection to the LORD.​

 

[sjastro]

I tend to a more emotional explanation, which has the advantage of simplification: human intelligence has been grossly overestimated.

On the subject of human intelligence.

Part 1.

Part 2.

 

[AlexB23]

On the subject of human intelligence.

Part 1.

Part 2.

And do not forget that Venice has had more severe flooding. Direct quote: "According to official city records, there have been 324 very intense high water events since 1872. More than half (187) have happened in the past 30 years."

Quote from: Is Venice flooding getting worse?

 

[Solo81]

The psychologist Robert Gifford summarized this denial.

On this site I see the following dragons of inaction as being the most prevalent, limited cognition, ideological (including religious) worldviews, comparisons with other key people (e.g. Tucker Carlson) and discordance toward experts and authorities.

A more general description of the denial is found in this video.

Very interesting that the video includes the 'hockey stick' reference at the beginning.
Michael Mann, a climate scientist, wrote a paper (early/mid aughties) that proved beyond doubt that human activity was the driver of climate change: he used the hockeystick reference in one of his graphs. The IPCC ran wild with the paper and Mann enjoyed some brief status.
Other scientists asked Mann for access to the raw data he used to come to his conclusions - to test his work. He agreed but never delivered. Repeat this process for a number of years.

Dr. Timothy Ball passed a comment about Mann - Mann took Ball to Court- Court directed Mann to supply the raw data to the Court on 2 or 3 occasions - Mann didn't deliver - Court threw out Mann's case and ordered Mann cover all costs. This happened in 2019, in SF iirc, and it didn't make any headlines.
Climate scientist repeatedly refuses to allow anyone properly test his thesis but his findings are still passed off as fact.

 

[AV1611VET]

Why is it in this thread I'm not seeing remarks like:

"Don't quote the Bible to me."

"Take your preaching to another thread."

"I couldn't care less what your ancient text says."

"The Hebrew word for ... actually means ..."

Your silence speaks volumes.

 

[Ophiolite]

Very interesting that the video includes the 'hockey stick' reference at the beginning.
Michael Mann, a climate scientist, wrote a paper (early/mid aughties) that proved beyond doubt that human activity was the driver of climate change: he used the hockeystick reference in one of his graphs. The IPCC ran wild with the paper and Mann enjoyed some brief status.
Other scientists asked Mann for access to the raw data he used to come to his conclusions - to test his work. He agreed but never delivered. Repeat this process for a number of years.

Dr. Timothy Ball passed a comment about Mann - Mann took Ball to Court- Court directed Mann to supply the raw data to the Court on 2 or 3 occasions - Mann didn't deliver - Court threw out Mann's case and ordered Mann cover all costs. This happened in 2019, in SF iirc, and it didn't make any headlines.
Climate scientist repeatedly refuses to allow anyone properly test his thesis but his findings are still passed off as fact.

From an article in the New Scientist:, May 2007
The academy [US National Academy of Scientist] was asked by Congress to assess the validity of temperature reconstructions, including the hockey stick. The report states "The basic conclusion of Mann, et al (!998,1999) was that the late 20th century warmth in the Northern Hemisphere was unprecedented during at least the last 1000 years. This conclusion has subsequently been supported by an array of evidence that includes large-scale surface temperature reconstructions and pronounced changes in a variety of proxy indicators, such as melting on ice caps and the retreat of glaciers around the world."

In short, even if the hockey stick graph was an entire fabrication, it would be irrelevant since much more evidence has been gathered that leads to the same conclusion: the Earth is warming up.

 

[sjastro]

Very interesting that the video includes the 'hockey stick' reference at the beginning.
Michael Mann, a climate scientist, wrote a paper (early/mid aughties) that proved beyond doubt that human activity was the driver of climate change: he used the hockeystick reference in one of his graphs. The IPCC ran wild with the paper and Mann enjoyed some brief status.
Other scientists asked Mann for access to the raw data he used to come to his conclusions - to test his work. He agreed but never delivered. Repeat this process for a number of years.

Dr. Timothy Ball passed a comment about Mann - Mann took Ball to Court- Court directed Mann to supply the raw data to the Court on 2 or 3 occasions - Mann didn't deliver - Court threw out Mann's case and ordered Mann cover all costs. This happened in 2019, in SF iirc, and it didn't make any headlines.
Climate scientist repeatedly refuses to allow anyone properly test his thesis but his findings are still passed off as fact.

First of all some facts, technologies have changed over the decades in measuring temperatures relating to climate change.
From 1979 onwards this has been performed using satellite infrared and microwave measurements, prior to 1979 it was the use of balloons.
Going back further in time it was surface thermometers, or the use of historical records.
Before historical records, temperatures were determined using ice core samples, tree ring growth patterns etc.
When combining all the temperature data from the different methods to provide a historical or geological record required the use of statistical regression methods to form an overall trend and not a simple concatenation of the data.

Secondly individuals like Ball who clearly did not understand statistics took the regression analysis as being a form of fraudulent data manipulation and publicly declared Mann should be in prison.
The nature of the lawsuit was Mann suing Ball for libel, the reason why the case was thrown out of court and Mann forced to pay costs was not due to the raw data being unavailable but the regression analysis was intellectual property which could not be revealed.
The point that should also be stressed is Ball’s legal team were unable to prove that Mann was engaging in fraudulent behaviour either.
Mann had far more success in suing a couple of climate denying conservative imbeciles a few years later for a million dollars who likened his work on climate science to the acts of a child molester.

Since the raw data is publicly available climate scientists have applied their own regression methods and found the hockey stick is not unique to Mann’s work.

What is even more significant is that the CRU (Climatic Research Unit) and HAD (Hadley) Instrumental Records shown are temperature measurements which supports the hockey stick.