Public trust in scientific expertise is critical for making informed decisions about public policy. This is especially true for climate change, as scientific projections ground arguments for government intervention on the issue.
Then there are the calls for Americans to change behavior to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Beyond making their case with scientific evidence, some scientists use their expertise in human behavior to increase emotional reactions to climate change news.
Addressing climate change aside, using science to increase public agreement with scientific views may be a conflict of interest.
Access the previous installments in Brian’s climate series here, here , here, and here.
