Many liberals are afraid to talk to their conservative friends and neighbors about climate change. They think it is a waste of time and that all conservatives are climate deniers. Their conservative friends have similar feelings about liberals. Here is why liberals and conservatives should talk to each other about climate and how a constructive dialog is possible.
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How Liberals and Conservatives Can Talk About Climate change
1. Economics Issues from
Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
How Liberals and
Conservatives Can Have a
Constructive Dialog about
Climate Change
Posted January 27, 2016
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3. Donโt Fear Dialog
๏ฒ Many liberals are afraid to talk to
their conservative friends about
climate change
๏ฒConservativesโ minds are made up
๏ฒThey are all deniers
๏ฒ Conservatives are afraid, too
๏ฒLiberalsโ minds are made up
๏ฒClimate change is just a trick to
mask a big-government agenda
๏ฒ Here are some reasons why dialog
is not only possible, but necessary!
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
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4. Reason 1: Opinions differ, but not as much as you might think
๏ฒ 75% of liberal Democrats and 54%
of conservative Republicans think
climate change is happening and
human activity is contributing
๏ฒ Only 6% of liberal democrats and
only 9% percent of conservative
Republicans think climate change is
not happening at all
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
5. The real debate is over climate sensitivity
๏ฒ Climate sensitivity means
the amount of warming that
occurs if CO2
concentrations double
๏ฒ Most liberals accept
estimates used by NASA,
IPCC, and other
mainstream organizations
๏ฒBars in chart give NASA
estimates of sensitivity
๏ฒThe latest IPCC report
gives a likely range of 1.5
to 4.5o C
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
6. Deniers are rare even among skeptical scientists
๏ฒ There are few if any outright
global warming deniers left
even among scientists who
characterize themselves as
โskepticsโ or โdissidentsโ
๏ฒ Instead, they point to
sensitivity estimates in the
lower half of the IPCC range
๏ฒ This chart shows that many
recent estimates fall in this
low range for both long-run
(ECS) and short-run (TCR)
sensitivity
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
7. Lower sensitivity does not justify doing nothing
๏ฒ Both liberals and conservatives
should be willing to accept lower
sensitivity estimates as a
framework for dialog
๏ฒ A focus on high estimates leads to
polarization between alarmism and
denialism
๏ฒ Low sensitivity does not justify
doing nothingโit just means there
is a slightly longer window of
opportunity to take constructive
action before serious harm occurs
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
Range of future temperatures as
forecast by the IPCC
Source: https://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/spmsspm-
projections-of.html
8. Reason 2: People want more face-to-face discussion
๏ฒ Many liberals are
content to leave
climate issues to
scientists and the
mainstream media
๏ฒ Conservatives are
more likely to trust
what family, friends,
and neighbors say
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ 65% of Americans are interested in hearing
about climate change*
๏ฒ 71% of all Americans* (but only 38% of
conservatives**) trust scientists
๏ฒ The mainstream media are the most
frequent source of news about climate
change, but only 27% of conservatives***
trust mainstream media
๏ฒ 67% of Americans trust what family and
friends tell them, but only 16% hear family
and friends talk about climate change at
least once a month*
Data sources:
* http://environment.yale.edu/climate-
communication/files/Global-Warming-CCAM-March-
2015.pdf;
**http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/03/29/study-
conservatives-trust-of-science-hits-all-time-low-
*http://www.gallup.com/poll/176042/trust-mass-media-
returns-time-low.aspx
9. Reason 3: Both sides can learn from dialog
No matter how sure you are of
your own point of view, you
cannot truly understand it until
you test it against opposing
opinions held by others
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
โHe who knows only his own side of the case knows little
of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have
been able to refute them. But if he is equally unable to
refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so
much as know what they are, he has no ground for
preferring either opinion... Nor is it enough that he should
hear the opinions of adversaries from his own teachers,
presented as they state them, and accompanied by what
they offer as refutations. He must be able to hear them
from persons who actually believe them...he must know
them in their most plausible and persuasive form.โ
โJohn Stuart Mill
On Liberty
11. Facing the Challenge of Confirmation bias
๏ฒ Conservatives and liberals are prone to
confirmation biasโthe tendency to
pay more attention to sources that
agree with what we already think. We
get much of our news from โecho
chambersโ where everyone agrees
๏ฒ People are resistant to information that
is inconsistent with prior beliefs
๏ฒ Confirmation bias poses a challenge to
dialog across ideological lines
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
Echo chamber at the
Dresden University of
Technology
12. Framing is the Key
๏ฒ Proper framing is the key to overcoming
confirmation bias
๏ฒ If liberals want conservatives to listen to
what they say about climate change, they
should present a message that is
perceived as consistent with other
conservative beliefs
๏ฒ The same goes for conservativesโin
discussing climate change with liberals,
emphasize shared values, avoid
accusatory language
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
13. Unproductive Framing on the Liberal Side
๏ฒ Alarmism does not resonate well with
conservativesโit turns listeners off and
triggers denial
๏ฒ The 2009 climate documentary film
โAge of Stupidโ illustrates how not to
approach the topic
๏ฒDo not start by insulting your audience
๏ฒDo not start with the worst possible
case. (This film assumes a rate of
warming that is at or beyond the upper
limit supported by IPCC models)
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
Promotional poster. Fair use exemption claimed for
purpose of criticism and commentary
14. Unproductive Framing on the Conservative Side
Accusations of bad faith are a bad way to
start a constructive dialog:
๏ฒ โIf you look at global warming alarmists,
they don't like to look at the actual facts and
the data.โ
๏ฒ โToday, the global warming alarmists are
the equivalent of the flat-Earthers. It used
to be . . . accepted scientific wisdom the
Earth is flat, and this heretic named Galileo
was branded a denier.โ
๏ฒ Global warming is a Trojan horse for
"liberal politicians who want government
power over the economy, the energy sector
and every aspect of our lives."
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
Ted Cruz quotes from
Washington Post,
March 25, 2015
15. Two Ideas for Good Framing
๏ฒ Messages that emphasize shared
values of responsibility, duty, and
stewardship form a good basis for
dialog, especially when Christian
conservatives take part
๏ฒ Messages that emphasize risk-
reduction, markets, and property rights
form a good basis for discussion
among people who have a background
in business
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
โPreservation of our
environment is not a partisan
challenge; itโs common
sense. Our physical health,
our social happiness, and
our economic well-being will
be sustained only by all of us
working in partnership as
thoughtful, effective
stewards of our natural
resources.โ
โRonald Reagan
July 11, 1984
16. Questionable Framing: Emphasis on Top-Down Regulation
Messages that emphasize top-down
government regulation and increased
government expenditures are a poor
starting point for dialog with conservatives
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
Just 10 percent of
conservatives would support
a candidate who says:
โClimate change is an urgent
challenge and therefore we
need to strengthen the EPAโs
restrictions on carbon
emissions and signi๏ฌcantly
subsidize clean energy.โ
Source: Clearpath.org
http://polling.clearpath.org/docs/clearpath
_survey_report.pdf
17. Better framing: Emphasis on market-based approaches
Policy proposals that emphasize
incentives and market-based approaches
are a better basis for liberal-conservative
dialog than the command-and-control
philosophy
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
71 percent of conservatives
would support a candidate
who says:
โClimate change is a
challenge, and we need an
approach that is market-
based instead of one driven
by more top-down
government regulation
Source: Clearpath.org
http://polling.clearpath.org/docs/clearpath
_survey_report.pdf
18. Better framing: Emphasis on risk management
๏ฒ Both liberals and conservatives
understand the idea of insurance
๏ฒ Conservative support for climate action
rises when the issue is framed as one
of risk management
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
75 percent of conservatives
would support a candidate
who says:
โEven if we arenโt certain
what the climate will be
decades from now, we
should accelerate clean
energy now to minimize the
risk of serious climate
change effects or the need
for harsh regulation.โ
Source: Clearpath.org
http://polling.clearpath.org/docs/clearpath
_survey_report.pdf
19. Better framing: Emphasize a full range of benefits
Conservatives are more likely to get on
board when it is pointed out that clean
energy is a good thing regardless of who
is right about climate change
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
82 percent of conservatives
would support a candidate
who says:
โWe should expand the use
of clean energy regardless
of the debate over climate,
because it will reduce our
dependence on foreign oil,
reduce air pollution, and
improve public health.โ
Source: Clearpath.org
http://polling.clearpath.org/docs/clearpath
_survey_report.pdf
21. The environment vs. the economy
๏ฒ Many progressives see climate
change as such a serious threat
that we should stop it at all
costs
๏ฒ Their first instinct is to support
top-down regulations to stop
corporate pollution and force
consumers to change their
lifestyles
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ Conservatives who show concern
about climate change worry more
about the cost of environmental
regulation
๏ฒ They favor market-based policies
that provide incentives and
encourage innovation
22. Climate Change Action is Good Business
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ Steps to reduce global warming are
good business practice
๏ฒProduct design
๏ฒClean production methods
๏ฒSupport for environmental causes
๏ฒ A third of all consumers reward
companies that behave responsibly
by buying their products
๏ฒ A quarter of consumers have
punished irresponsible companies
23. Economists Left and Right Agree on a Carbon Tax
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
Conservative and liberal
economists agree that the most
effective way to moderate climate
change is through a carbon tax
๏ฒ Conservative perspective on
carbon tax: ClimateUnplugged
๏ฒ Liberal perspective on carbon
tax: Citizens Climate Lobby
Larry Summers
Chief Economist
for Barack Obama
Greg Mankiw
Chief Economist for
George W. Bush
24. Key Framing Issue: Use of Carbon Tax Revenues
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ Support for a carbon
tax depends critically
on how revenues from
the tax are used
๏ฒ Support is low when no
use of revenue is
specified
Source: Issues in Energy and Environmental Policy, No. 13,
2014 U. Michigan and Muhlenberg College
http://closup.umich.edu/files/ieep-nsee-2014-spring-carbon-
tax.pdf
25. Support is stronger for a tax-and-rebate plan
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ Support for a carbon
tax increases among
both Democrats and
Republicans when
revenue is returned as
a rebate
Source: Issues in Energy and Environmental Policy, No. 13,
2014 U. Michigan and Muhlenberg College
http://closup.umich.edu/files/ieep-nsee-2014-spring-carbon-
tax.pdf
26. Support is stronger still if revenue used for research
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ Support is stronger still
if revenues are used to
fund clean energy
research
๏ฒ This variant gets
majority support from
both Democrats and
Republicans
Source: Issues in Energy and Environmental Policy, No. 13,
2014 U. Michigan and Muhlenberg College
http://closup.umich.edu/files/ieep-nsee-2014-spring-carbon-
tax.pdf
28. Conservative-leaning Climate Websites
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ Climate, Etc. ( http://judithcurry.com/ ) is a forum for cautious but open-minded climate
scientists. Conservatives who read this will learn that real climate scientists, even those
who criticize the political agenda of liberal climate activists, do not deny that the climate
is changing and that human activity is a significant cause of global warming
๏ฒ Climate Unplugged ( https://climateunplugged.com/ ) offers fresh ideas to advance
effective climate and energy policy from libertarian and conservative perspectives. It
strongly supports carbon taxes as the most efficient and effective policy for dealing with
climate change.
๏ฒ The Carbon Tax Center ( http://www.carbontax.org/ ) is a nonpartisan organization that
seeks to build a consensus for a carbon tax across the political spectrum.
๏ฒ ClearPath ( http://www.clearpath.org/ ) is an organization founded by a wealthy former
entrepreneur to show why clean energy should be a conservative cause
๏ฒ R Street Institute ( http://www.rstreet.org/tag/carbon-pricing/ ) maintains a page with
many links to conservative policy views on climate change
29. Liberal-leaning Climate Websites
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ RealClimate (http://www.realclimate.org/ ) Is an explicitly nonpolitical forum for climate
research that includes contributions from climate scientists whose work is often cited by
liberals
๏ฒ Climate Progress (http://thinkprogress.org/climate/issue/ )is the climate page of the
website ThinkProgress.org
๏ฒ Citizensโ Climate Lobby (http://citizensclimatelobby.org/ ) is officially nonpartisan but is
regarded favorably by many liberals and progressives
๏ฒ Center for American Progress (https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/view/ )
discusses climate change on the โenergy and environmentโ section of its website
30. Further Reading on All Sides of the Issue
January 27, 2016 Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog
๏ฒ โWhy Conservatives Should Love a Carbon Tax,โ Ed Dolanโs Econ Blog, July 1, 2013. First in a
series that also covers why progressives and libertarians, too, should love a carbon tax.
๏ฒ โOne Answer to Global Warming: A New Tax,โ Greg Mankiw (formerly George W. Bushโs Chief
Economic Adviser), NYT, Sept. 16, 2007
๏ฒ โA Progressive Carbon Tax Will Fight Climate Change and Stimulate the Economy,โ Richard W.
Caperton, Center for American Progress
๏ฒ But Will the Planet Notice? Gernot Wagner. In this book Wagner tells his fellow liberals why
climate change policy needs a grounding in sound economics.
๏ฒ โWhy We Support a Revenue-Neutral Carbon Tax,โ George P. Shultz (Nixon Treas. Sec and
Reagan Sec. of State) and Gary Becker (Nobel Prize in Economics)
๏ฒ โBreaking the Link between a Conservative World View and Climate Skepticism,โ The
Conversation, Oct. 29, 2015 Prof. Andrew Hoffman, U. Mich.
๏ฒ โA Conservative Answer to Climate Change,โ The American Conservative, Dec. 9, 2015, Catrina
Rorke, R Street Institute
๏ฒ โClimate Change: Itโs Time for a Conservative Alternative,โ Environmental Law Institute, Sept.
2013, Eli Lehrer, President, R Street Institute
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