VIDEO: How to talk with climate change skeptics

Scientists are almost unanimous on the central issues, but when the subject of climate change comes up in conversation it often divides us. UBCO researcher Greg Garrard has studied the cultures and rhetoric behind the beliefs of climate skeptics. His advice may have you anxious to bring up conversations you have probably been carefully avoiding.

Garrard, a sustainability professor who works out of the English Department at UBCO (yes we have that right) set-out to study what's been written on the topic "And to ask, 'What do climate skeptics think? What do they say? And how do they say it?'' he said. One thing that jumped-out for Garrard was how funny much of it is. "A lot of the British climate skepticism is humorous or sardonic. But the biggest issue he discovered was political polarization.

"The divide is the biggest problem," he said. But he believes that good conversation can bridge that divide. "The place to start," he suggests, "is trying to find that common ground." Start by showing interest he advises, "Say okay, fine, what do you think is going on." Still, he admits there are easy ways to derail the conversation if you're not careful. "Try to avoid ridicule and stigmatization and self-righteousness especially because none of us is entitled to self-righteousness on this." He points to the fact that we all have some responsibility for the problem regardless of our beliefs. "We're all inside the fossil fuel world." Garrard's hope is that we focus on how to problem solve together. "And the best way to do that," he added, "is to get people with different viewpoints together and problem-solve in a way that avoids pressing cultural identity buttons."

Garrard has co-authored a book examining climate change skepticism around the world.