we are fucked
A study recently published in the journal Climatic Change is among the first to examine the effects of using climate crisis and climate emergency. It reported that reading these phrases “did not have any effect on public engagement,” measured in terms of whether the words had altered people’s emotions, their support for climate policy, or their belief that action could make a difference.
“We were pretty surprised that the terminology has such minimal effects,” said Lauren Feldman, a professor of media studies at Rutgers University and a coauthor of the study. Researchers found one instance where the stronger phrasing backfired: News organizations deploying climate emergency came across as slightly less trustworthy, perhaps because it could sound alarmist.
The overall takeaway is that journalists and climate advocates might be getting too hung up on specific words when the bigger picture is much more important, Feldman said. What makes an article resonate with people has more to do with its subject. News stories that emphasize taking action tend to make people feel hopeful. Articles that highlight solutions are also viewed as more credible, and people are less resistant to them. Consider a recent piece from the New York Times that explores how the Republican mayor of Carmel, Indiana, built 140 roundabouts in town, in part to cut down on the carbon emissions from cars waiting at stoplights.
Calling climate change a 'crisis' doesn't do what you think | Gristhttps://grist.org/language/calling-climate-change-a-crisis-or-emergency-stu/