Understanding climate change conspiracy beliefs: A comparative outlook (Harvard)

2024.06.04.

In this research note, we focus on one of the most dominant and influential conspiracy theories in recent decades: climate change. Since the 1980s and 1990s, more and more scientific evidence has emerged that climate change is a direct result of human-made carbon emissions (Harvey et al., 2018). However, despite such overwhelming evidence that relates extreme weather patterns, the rise of sea levels, and the melting of glaciers worldwide to human-made warming of the earth’s temperature, climate change conspiracy theorizing has spread in many countries across the globe. In a 2020 survey, roughly 25% of the U.S. population indicated agreement with the statement that climate change is a hoax (Stockemer, 2024). In other countries, such as Australia, up to 20% believe that climate change is an elite-driven conspiracy (Daume et al., 2023).

Understanding climate change conspiracy beliefs: A comparative outlook | HKS Misinformation Review

Are climate change conspiracy theories widespread across the world, or do we find climate change conspiracy beliefs more so in some countries than in others? This research note explores the prevalence of conspiracy beliefs that identify climate change as a hoax across eight geographically and culturally diverse countries. Using original data, we found that climate

  • Source: Magda Tarnawska
  • Type: Web page
  • Accessed: 22 August 2026

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Magda Tarnawska. Understanding climate change conspiracy beliefs: A comparative outlook | HKS Misinformation Review
Misinformation Review.
https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/understanding-climate-change-conspiracy-beliefs-a-comparative-outlook/
Accessed 22 August 2026.
Archived at: https://web.archive.org/web/20260804152818/https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/understanding-climate-change-conspiracy-beliefs-a-comparative-outlook/

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2024