Changing the emotions on climate

WHEN IT COMES TO POLICIES THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT THEIR POCKETBOOKS AND LIFESTYLES, AMERICANS

WANT INFORMATION THEY CAN TRUST FROM THE “EXPERT CLASS.”

FACTS ARE FACTS AND ARE REQUIRED FOR DECISION-MAKING.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN EMOTION GETS WORKED INTO THE DISCUSSION AND WHEN THE EXPERTS USE EMOTION FOR THEIR PARTICULAR CAUSE?

DEBATES OVER ALL TYPES OF HOT POLITICAL TOPICS OFTEN SPILL OVER FROM THE REALM OF THE FACTUAL INTO THE EMOTIONAL — WE’VE SEEN IT IN FIGHTS OVER EDUCATION POLICY, TAXES, ELECTION REFORM, AND MOST RECENTLY, THE COVID-19 RESPONSE.

CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY ISN’T IMMUNE FROM EMOTION — AND THIS HAS AN IMPACT ON FINDING A REASONABLE SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM WE SHARE IN COMMON.

PEOPLE CAN DRAW THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS

ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THESE SPECIFIC FACTS.

-GLOBAL TEMPERATURES FLUCTUATE.

-HUMANS POLLUTE, AND THIS INCLUDES THE RELEASE OF CARBON AND GREENHOUSE GASES.

-THERE’S A DEMONSTRATED LINK BETWEEN CARBON EMISSIONS AND WARMING TEMPS.

-HITTING GLOBAL REDUCTION TARGETS ON EMISSIONS REQUIRES LESS ENERGY USE.

BUT EMOTIONS CAN RUN HIGH WHEN EXPERTS DECLARE THE WORLD WILL COME TO AN END IN A FEW YEARS UNLESS WE DO X, Y, OR Z.

THESE EMOTIONS CAN RANGE FROM FEAR TO ANGER.  INDEED, THE PLANET’S HEALTH IS A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR ALL OF US.

WHY DO EXPERTS MAKE CLIMATE AN EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE?

WELL, WE FOUND AT LEAST A PARTIAL ANSWER. THE SAME SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY WE LOOK TO IN OFFERING FACTS FOR OUR COLLECTIVE CLIMATE DECISIONS ALSO STUDIES OUR EMOTIONS ON THE TOPIC.

OVER A SERIES OF COGNITIVE EXPERIMENTS REPORTED IN THE PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL CLIMATIC CHANGE IN 2019, AUTHOR BRANDI MORRIS AND HER COLLEAGUES SHOW THAT STORYTELLING

TECHNIQUES ABOUT CLIMATE ISSUES QUICKEN THE PULSE IN A GROUP OF ADULTS.

THE AUTHORS SAY THIS PHYSICAL RESPONSE IS EVIDENCE OF AN EMOTIONAL REACTION THAT LINKS TO AN INCREASE IN “PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR”

— A BEHAVIOR THAT CAN BE USED TO SUPPORT A PARTICULAR AGENDA.

OBSERVERS NOTE THAT USING SCIENCE TO RECOMMEND WAYS TO INSPIRE EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO CLIMATE RAISES SERIOUS CONFLICT OF INTEREST CONCERNS.

AMERICANS WANT TO TRUST THE EXPERTS TO DELIVER FACTS ON THE CLIMATE AND THE IMPLICATIONS, NOT HOW TO BEST AROUSE EMOTION. PERHAPS WE STICK MORE TO THE FACTS, NOT THE FEELINGS, ON CLIMATE CHANGE.

OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT.