Beyond Denialism: Think Tank Approaches to Climate Change

Abstract

Sociologists have done important research documenting the key role that think tanks play in the climate change denialism movement in the United States, which has sought to mislead the American public about the realities of global warming. Sociologists have not, however, assessed the full range of ways that think tanks are responding to -or planning for -global environmental change. This article proposes a typology of elite responses to global warming, which goes beyond denialism to include (i) limited climate mitigation, (ii) climate adaptation/privileged accommodation, and (iii) climate opportunism. Ultimately, this article provides insights on ways to build upon previous research in both environmental and political sociology to study the interface between elite-driven policy, climate change, and capitalism.

Canadian Fossil Capitalism, Corporate Strategy, and Post‐Carbon Futures

“…In circumstances of increased public criticism and robust social movement opposition, carbon‐capital's accumulation strategy also demands careful ideological legitimation. Therefore the power of the sector reaches into civil society, as carbon‐capital fractions and their allies participate in the governance and funding of organizations such as policy‐planning groups, think tanks, media outlets (Bonds ; Brulle ; Carroll et al. ; Elsner and Kasper ), as well as research institutes and universities (Adkin and Stares ; Carroll et al.…”

“…In circumstances of increased public criticism and robust social movement opposition, carbon-capital's accumulation strategy also demands careful ideological legitimation. Therefore the power of the sector reaches into civil society, as carbon-capital fractions and their allies participate in the governance and funding of organizations such as policy-planning groups, think tanks, media outlets (Bonds 2016;Brulle 2013;Carroll et al 2018;Elsner and Kasper 2015), as well as research institutes and universities (Adkin and Stares 2016;Carroll et al 2018;Gustafson 2012). Business influence over such sites of knowledge production and dissemination helps institutionalize a "new climate denialism," whereby the climate crisis is acknowledged while effective climate action is forestalled (Derber 2010;Klein and Daub 2016).…”

Environmental attitudes and the politics of distrust

“…1 Private voluntary actions could also do a lot to address some environmental problems (see e.g., Dietz, 2015), though governmental action is usually key. 2 This is not at all to deny the damaging impact of obstructive campaigning by some firms and businesspeople (e.g., Bonds, 2016;Farrell, 2016). single country.…”

“…In the area of the environment specifically, a number of studies have also documented that distrust of scientists and their work has derived from deliberate campaigns to cast doubt on their competence, impartiality, and/or integrity (Lewandowsky, Mann, Brown, & Friedman, ). Such campaigns have often been funded and reflect the agendas of corporations engaged in polluting activities (e.g., Farrell, ; Oreskes & Conway, ), and span a network of front groups, conservative think tanks, and sometimes scientists with extreme minority views on an issue (Bonds, ). Distrust of science can also emerge out of nationalist suspicions that scientific claims challenging the social status quo are foreign conspiracies (Liu, ).…”

“…This is not at all to deny the damaging impact of obstructive campaigning by some firms and businesspeople (e.g., Bonds, ; Farrell, ).…”