Is climate denialism dead?

Te Whanganui-a-Tara - It may not be dead yet but climate change crisis denial is on the decline in much of the world.

The shift comes as climate change-related catastrophes mount.

An analysis of UK newspaper editorials found that the percentage naysaying climate action dwindled during the past decade, as the number advocating for more action swelled.

In the EU, climate change only ranked third among the most serious perceived problems in a 2009 poll, but advanced to first last year. And voters in every federal seat in Australia now support increased action on climate change, according to survey results published last year.

Denialism may not be an official casualty of climate crisis just yet. But its demise is being hastened by a growing awareness of the cost of complacency.

According to survey company Ipsos, New Zealand is most worried about the impact of climate change around the world with the majority (81 percent) of New Zealanders expressing concerns about the impacts of climate change that can already be seen in other countries.

A few years after a Swedish scientist suggested in 1896 that increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide will raise Earth’s surface temperature, his theory was knocked down by a peer and went dormant for decades.

A brief newswire item in 1969 said scientists had warned the human race about pollution’s impact on the climate.

 As people began to realize the scientists alarmed by global warming might know what they’re talking about, denialism gained momentum and generous financial backing.

It’s also been diminished as farmers are forced to go without irrigation, and shipping firms suddenly lack functional waterways. The climate change-linked drought now undermining trade in Europe comes as the region’s already faced with a looming recession.

Yet, denialism persists. Research published earlier this year found that Facebook was failing to label about half of the climate change denial on the site, even after pledging to crack down.

It’s also evolved; a scientist who once got death threats from climate deniers described a shift in their tactics, from vehement rejection to deflecting blame and delaying action.

Ultimately, hard economic realities should make this less tenable – and further vindicate the people who’ve spent decades trying to cut through cynicism and deceit to sound the climate alarm.