Politics, cash, fame: what motivates climate change deniers
Right-wing ideologues funded by fossil fuels, fame-seeking narcissists and doubt mongers monetising their content are pushing climate disinformation that undermines the fight against global warming, researchers say.
Experts interviewed by AFP outlined six key things that motivate people to deny climate change or seek to delay action.
Oil money
Studies have documented flows of cash from the fossil fuel industry to conservative US think tanks, signalled by researchers as publishers of misleading climate claims.
Greenpeace on the site exxonsecrets.org published documents from oil giant ExxonMobil revealing donations it made in the 1990s and 2000s to three such bodies: the Heartland Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Cato Institute. Exxon has repeatedly denied working against climate science.
An analysis of tax documents and donor records by sociologist Robert Brulle of Brown University found that 91 climate-sceptic think tanks and lobby groups received income of $900 million in 2003-2010, largely from conservative foundations.
Since the mid-2000s, the funding has largely been channelled through philanthropic groups that conceal their donations.
"Fossil fuel companies have a long history of funding climate misinformation promulgated by conservative think tanks," Brulle told AFP.
"This misinformation has misled many Americans regarding the risks associated with climate change and has hindered actions to mitigate carbon emissions."
Online climate deniers can monetise their content and become minor celebrities, researchers say.