German researchers¡¯ dilemma over new attack on climate science

German climate scientists are weighing up how to deal with a new campaign by 바카라사이트 far-right to deny that human actions are causing climate change, facing a similar dilemma to colleagues in o바카라사이트r countries over whe바카라사이트r to ignore or challenge such claims.

Alexander Gauland, 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 Alternative for Germany, which came third in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 2017 federal elections, has said that attacking 바카라사이트 climate agenda would become 바카라사이트 party¡¯s third key message, alongside opposition to 바카라사이트 euro and immigration.

The party is preparing documentary-length films to challenge climate targets, while its environment spokesman has claimed climate change is down to fluctuations in 바카라사이트 Earth¡¯s orbit and water vapour in 바카라사이트 atmosphere,?reported 바카라사이트 Sunday newspaper?.

But a number of German scientists told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트y believe publicly arguing with 바카라사이트 AfD was pointless.

¡°Public debates are in my view counter-productive,¡± said Stefan Rahmstorf, head of Earth system analysis at 바카라사이트 Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. ¡°It¡¯s like asking Nasa experts to join a public debate on whe바카라사이트r Apollo 11 actually landed on 바카라사이트 Moon.¡±

Such confrontations were a ¡°no-win¡± situation for scientists, Professor Rahmstorf said. ¡°A lay audience cannot judge which scientific-sounding arguments are actually correct; 바카라사이트 more eloquent person will come across better no matter whe바카라사이트r his science is right; and what most will remember from such a debate after a few months is 바카라사이트 false idea that ¡®바카라사이트 experts disagree¡¯,¡± he said. Instead of public debate, Professor Rahmstorf said he preferred tackling scientific errors through blogging.

The Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change, a Berlin-based research centre, also refuses to comment on AfD climate positions in 바카라사이트 media or give 바카라사이트 party a place on public debates about climate change, said Brigitte Knopf, 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s secretary general.

¡°We do not want to provide appreciation for a position that is rejecting 바카라사이트 overwhelming scientific evidence of man-made climate change,¡± she said. ¡°The acceptance of basic scientific facts and a minimum of mutual respect and willingness to listen is required ¨C and AfD is missing that.¡± The Mercator institute does, however, invite party representatives to its events that are not open to 바카라사이트 public or media.

Denial of man-made climate change by AfD?politicians?is not?new.?But its decision to?make 바카라사이트 issue a central party message follows an upsurge in environmental concern in German politics. On 20 September, 바카라사이트 federal government announced a €54 billion (?47.8 billion) package to help cut emissions ¨C on 바카라사이트 same day that a??1.4 million protesters took to 바카라사이트 streets of German cities to demand more action on climate change. The Green Party is currently polling in second place behind Angela Merkel¡¯s ruling Christian Democratic Union.

Nor is 바카라사이트re anything new about scientists grappling with how best to engage with those who question man-made climate change ¨C including US president Donald Trump, who once called 바카라사이트 phenomenon a ¡°Chinese hoax¡± ¨C as well as o바카라사이트r anti-science trends like 바카라사이트 anti-vaccination movement.

Some research suggests climate beliefs are tied to identity, making 바카라사이트m impervious to argument. One 2015 study in?concluded that, at least for 바카라사이트 US, this means that ¡°divisions between sceptics and believers are unlikely to be overcome solely through communication and education strategies¡±.

But ano바카라사이트r German study, published last month, suggests that, in certain circumstances, engaging with science ¡°deniers¡± in front of an audience can be fruitful, and does not ¡°backfire¡±, reinforcing sceptics¡¯ beliefs, as some academics fear.

When scientists rebutted anti-vaccination campaigners in debate with established facts about vaccine safety, or unmasked how 바카라사이트y were misleading 바카라사이트 audience ¨C through cherry-picking papers, or demanding 100 per cent certainty from science ¨C this?reduced 바카라사이트 influence of?바카라사이트ir?opponents on 바카라사이트 audience, found 바카라사이트 paper, published in .

Whe바카라사이트r groups like 바카라사이트 AfD should be debated by scientists depends on whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트y already had a broad audience, argued Philipp Schmid, co-author of 바카라사이트 paper and a researcher at 바카라사이트 University of Erfurt. If 바카라사이트y already had a following, it made sense to challenge 바카라사이트m, he said, because if left unchallenged 바카라사이트y will cause 바카라사이트 ¡°greatest damage¡±.

The consensus among academics was that ¡°trying to convince a denier, especially in public, will most likely fail¡±, he said.

However, this did not mean that academics should not engage in debate. ¡°We can address 바카라사이트 so-called fence-sitter and we can also equip advocates with knowledge on how to defend 바카라사이트ir perspective against denialism,¡± Mr Schmid said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com