Is it even remotely important to try to convince Global Warming deniers now?

Question

Increasingly I feel - they don't believe, it doesn't matter.

Not one jot, not one tiny iota. They are the last vestige of a disinformation campaign which has left them behind, in much the same way as the last stragglers of McCarthy's propaganda still look for communist conspiracies and check for reds under the beds.

What matters is that the centre ground of public opinion has shifted enough, and while the world is warming up, the ever shrinking number of die hard deniers...is simply in the cold.

Is it even remotely important to expend any effort at all convincing them?

@ wizard - what use is evidence to people who have no interest in evidence. There is plenty of it, but really, what does it matter. The deniers are not denying because of a lack of evidence. So why bother?

@DrT Good article let me post it right up here, as it seems you didn't understand your own reference, and it is relevant to the question.

Note the wording "Major Global Threat" - not "is it real, is it happening" as you imply.

While a recent Pew Global Attitudes survey finds a double-digit increase in the proportion of Americans citing the environmental problems as a major global threat – from 23% to 37% -- pollution is still a lower-rated concern in the U.S. than in any other advanced industrial country or in China. In deed, the Chinese are far more likely than Americans to cite environmental problems as a top global danger (70% vs. 37%). In several countries, the proportion viewing environmental degradation as a leading global threat has risen sharply in the past five years. In Brazil, the percentage considering pollution and environmental problems to be a top danger rose from 20% in 2002 to 49% this year

Answer 1

Of course not.

But it is important not to let their ignorance go unchallenged.

How many people who are simply "skeptical" do you think read each deniers question? Do you think anyone answers liberal's stuff in an effort to persuade HIM?

Dr T - The survey you quote is not to the point. Here's one that is:

http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/home_page/412.php?lb=hmpg1&pnt=412&nid=&id=

Ron C - You're a smart guy. The idea that, as a whole, science is moving away from global warming is silly. There may be more visible skeptics flapping their gums. But actual data about things like the Arctic ice cap is providing even more proof. Which is more important? Dr. Gray publishes his blog, or the IPCC gets the Nobel Prize?

Great website for more information:

http://profend.com/global-warming/

Answer 2

It depends on if we can rely on governments doing enough even if parts of their population dislikes their decisions. I think the shift towards renewable energy and a more sustainable way of living will be easier the larger the percentage of consumers that agrees and realize how important the issue is. I am a bit worried that the population in the country with the highest emissions per capita in the world still seems to be the country caring the least. But maybe I'm wrong. I really hope I am.

Answer 3

I believe some of this is due to fundamentalism. Most of the people who deny it are in the far right politically. We're talking about people who don't believe that any ecological problem is fixable by mankind. They'd rather sit and wait for a diety to come down and fix it all. Some of the people down here in the South don't believe in any aspect of evolution either. I actually heard a minister say that fossils were placed here by the devil to confuse man into believing in evolution. It's more politically correct to say that you believe it is a myth then to profess that you believe all environmental problems are all due to religious prophecy fullfilled. Just imagine how crazy Dick Cheney would sound saying that. They know global warming is real, they just don't believe in moving to do anything about it. So yes it is a waste of time to try and convince these people otherwise.

Answer 4

Unfortunately some of the answers you have received is the precise reason I have stopped trying to convince the "deniers." I do however, think it is important to answer the "deniers" disinformation campaign with accurate information because there are many people who still haven't formed an opinion and they would benefit from exposure to good educational material.

Answer 5

Deniers? No. The first answer illustrated why perfectly.

"It is not cause by humans. You will never convince me otherwise."

Some people will indeed never be convinced they're wrong, and it's neither important nor worth the effort to try and convince them. They're in the vast minority. There are still people who are skeptical of anthropogenic global warming, generally because they're not aware of the science behind the issue. It's important to try and convince these people, because we need as much support as possible to force our governments to take action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

It's very important to provide people with the facts about global warming, and to combat the campaign of misinformation run by the global warming deniers.

Answer 6

Why is it that you believe? What is the scientific evidence that you have looked at? I am not a denier, but I am interested in why so many people who are "on the bandwagon" have not looked into any of the actual research. It seems that the old song of "I read a report that quotes a report of a study that was done by people who claim to be scientists" just does not cut it for me.

You cannot convince the deniers without evidence. Imperial evidence is not enough, because imperial evidence is evidence of assumption. It is proven that children with large feet are smarter than children with small feet, using imperial evidence, but most people know instinctively that this cannot be right, even though they cannot pinpoint what the assumption is.

Factual evidence is what is needed to convince, otherwise you sound like the scientist that proved that children with large feet are smarter.

Besides, there are so many more important and immediate reasons to reduce fossil fuel use and be more environmentally aware that all the Global Warming harping is really detrimental to the cause.

Answer 7

I would ask just who exactly falls into the category of "deniers". I fear that by your logic, or how I am reading your question, I would fall into that pool as well, and I don't think I should be. True, GW exists -- there is plenty of evidence to go along with that. My problem is that there is virtually no evidence to suggest what exactly will come of this. There are clearly temperature cycles, and the modern proliferation of technology that enables us to study so in-depth was simply not around the last time there was any significant GW. Some would say that there has never been any GW as significant as today -- how do we know that? Once again, not as advanced technology in the years before.

Those that are preaching the extinction of the human race also seem to underestimate the resiliency of human nature. What may sound like science-fiction now could be reality it 20-30 years. So, hypothetically speaking, the Earth is, say, 90% covered by water in the next generation. What's to say we won't have entire domed cities underwater? No, I am not intending to be facetious, either. The problem with the future is just that -- it's the future. I haven't been there, and neither have any of the scientists that are predicting death, destruction, and Armageddon. Que sera, sera -- and how do we KNOW that some of our efforts to "decrease" GW may not have unknown "side effects" down the road? I am not advocating a "live and let die" philosophy (thank you, McCartney), but rather a considerate skepticism of anything that would require a significant lifestyle change of any kind. We know, for example, the effects of radiation (see WW2), and why massive doses are to be avoided at all costs. Extrapolations of things we do not truly know are good to have around, so that we can prepare for what might happen, but extremists on either side of any issue should rightly be disregarded. That includes, btw, those that say that GW is not happening and could NEVER be a problem. "Never" is an absolute also.

Have a great day!

Answer 8

Followed your link. I'm so glad it wasn't just me thinking a bit like this!

The deniers seem a big voice on here and it was beginning to make me pull my hair out at mankinds folley!

Well you've at least calmed me down a bit and i hope you are right about this!

Answer 9

You can't make people believe until it's too late. And by too late that means flooding of the Florida coast, and scorching winters.

Answer 10

the thing about global warming is that the public really doesn't get all the information out there. i work for a global environmental engineering company. we have almost 200 offices all over the world and help the environment and water systems of countless countries, from america to china to iran and a thousand other places in between.

the people i work with (engineers, biologists, environmentalists, etc.) think this global warming stuff is hilarious. the thing is, it's happened many times before. the earth periodically warms and cools (ever hear of the ice-age). what we know is nothing. and nothing we do now matters. nothing we have done matters on a realistic scale.

don't get me wrong though, it is very important to be aware of our environment and try not to pollute and litter. but i've been a tree-hugger my whole life. and it's never changed a thing.