S2E21: How to talk to a climate denialist

When discussing climate change, mother doesn’t always know best.


Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits
Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from
biodiversity conservation to climate change.


For many people, climate change is scary and the science behind
its causes and impacts is bewildering. And with all the other bad
news these days, sometimes the easiest thing is just to hope
climate change will fade away. 


Add in a noisy minority who vehemently deny climate change is
real, or even believe it’s all a conspiracy, and it can be hard
for people to know how best to respond or what’s even real. 


In our latest Green Pulse episode, co-hosts Audrey Tan and David
Fogarty speak with Adam Switzer, a Professor of Coastal Science
at the Asian School of the Environment at the Nanyang
Technological University in Singapore. 


He gives us some tips and tricks on how to speak to people about
climate change, including amplifying the stories of hope, a focus
on solutions as well as educating people about the clear trends
that show climate change is real, such as data showing rising
temperatures, sea levels and carbon emissions. 


But what happens when your own mother is a hardened
denialist? 


Have a listen, and let us know what you think!


Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):


2:45 What does climate denialism mean to you?


5:55 How to help people who don’t understand climate science and
feel unable to respond?


10: 44 ‘We need to focus on solutions’. 


12:10 What are top tips to help people sort out real science from
cherry-picked, greenwashed science?


16:44 How to balance the bad news of climate change with the need
for urgency?


23:17 Talk to people. It’s not hard to find common ground on
climate change, such as health and money.


Follow Audrey Tan on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/848W


Read her articles: https://str.sg/JLM2


Follow David Fogarty on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/jcvy


Read his articles: https://str.sg/JLMu


Hosts: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg) & David Fogarty
(dfogarty@sph.com.sg)


Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim


Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong


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drops:


Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf


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