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To Capture Americans’ Attention on Climate Change, Simply Refer to It as Climate Change

“Climate Crisis, Climate Emergency, Climate Justice: Are These Terms Actually Persuasive?”

In a recent survey conducted with a nationally representative sample of 5,137 Americans, it was found that Americans are more familiar with and more concerned about climate change and global warming than they are about terms like climate crisis, climate emergency, or climate justice. The survey, conducted by research psychologists, also revealed that using alternative terms did not increase people’s sense of urgency, willingness to support climate-friendly policies, or willingness to act.

The study highlighted the importance of using straightforward language when communicating about climate change. People tend to prefer familiar terms over complex jargon like “adaptation,” “mitigation,” “sustainability,” and “carbon-dioxide removal.” Experts often use technical terms that may be unfamiliar to the general public, leading to a disconnect in communication.

Historically, there has been a distinction between climate change and global warming, with the former referring to overall climate changes and the latter specifically to rising temperatures. The popularization of the term climate change has been credited to Frank Luntz, an adviser to the George W. Bush administration, while Democrats used to favor the term global warming.

While terms like climate crisis, climate emergency, and climate justice have been used to emphasize different aspects of climate change, they are less familiar and elicit less concern compared to climate change and global warming. The advice from experts is to avoid using overheated language and stick with familiar terms that people understand.

In conclusion, the key takeaway is to communicate about climate change using language that is clear, simple, and familiar to the general public. By using terms like global warming and climate change, we can effectively convey the urgency of the issue without alienating or confusing the audience.

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