The Utility of Positive Messaging in Promoting Acceptance of Climate Change

Abstract

This project investigates whether framing climate change in terms of the U.S. military would resonate with climate change deniers by incorporating other aspects of their world-view. A goal of this research is to find common ground, areas not directly connected to climate change in the public’s mind, such as the economy and the military, thereby garnering support for the U.S. to enact meaningful climate change legislation. Anthropogenic climate change is the greatest threat facing the United States yet the warnings of scientists are drowned out by a denial machine created by the fossil fuel industry and aided by many in the Republican party. The denier perspective is continuously reinforced by news media aligned with their platform. An internet survey was conducted to test the hypothesis that the positive message that actions ameliorating climate change benefit America would resonate with climate deniers by incorporating other aspects of their world-view. Survey respondents were informed that the U.S. military connects global warming and threats to national and global security, such as economic stability, terrorism, refugees and the need for increased U.S. military involvement. The respondents were asked if they agree some of the climate change scenarios of the U. S. military are likely to occur and if they support measures to promote economic growth while reducing dependence on oil by supporting alternative energy sources. The survey was conducted by Decision Analyst, using 406 randomly selected respondents from their database of millions of online survey participants. While military concerns were not effective in motivating climate change deniers to action, the survey revealed important findings. Unexpectedly, the most striking result was finding the need for the military to communicate its priorities within its own ranks. Survey respondents who identified themselves as climate change deniers with military affiliations failed to acknowledge the line connecting fossil fuel dependence and the resulting military and security issues. Of this group, 79% of the females and 72% of males were Republican. Regardless of military affiliation, the denier group ranked growth in the U.S. economy as their number one concern which highlights the disconnect between their priorities and the economic effects of failing to halt global warming. I conclude that the climate change message would benefit from shifting from one of science to one including military and economic factors, delivered by a trusted source, such as a well know thought leader and/or the Ad Council.