What causes political backlash against climate action?
While public and media discourse currently shows crumbling support for ambitious climate measures in many places, the gap between set climate targets and actual policy action is widening once again. But what is driving this headwind, and how can effective climate communication address it constructively? This post is part of the series “Studies of the […]
Verdrängt aber nicht verschwunden: Die Klimakrise im Schatten der Migrationsdebatte
In den vergangenen Jahren wurde in deutschen Medien mehr über Migration als über den Klimawandel berichtet. Diese Verschiebung der Aufmerksamkeit geht mit veränderten Problemwahrnehmungen in der Bevölkerung einher und verweist auf wechselseitige Dynamiken zwischen Berichterstattung, öffentlicher Meinung und Politik. Im elften Jahr nach dem Pariser Klimaabkommen ist das Thema Klimaschutz auf der öffentlichen Agenda nach […]
Linking climate and extreme weather
The impacts of climate change are becoming more tangible, and extreme weather events are increasingly common. But do people who experience more storms, heatwaves, and flood disasters actually demand more climate action? Our article today shows that everything depends on making the connection between climate change and these weather events. This post is part of […]
Does Fact-Checking Really Work?
Fact-checking is often praised as an effective tool against misinformation and deep-seated misconceptions. Journalists and independent organizations verify statements to make public discourse more objective. But how effective is this practice really? Can a simple correction truly rectify ingrained false assumptions or even simple misinformation? This post is part of the series “Studies of the […]
German media: Climate change coverage drops to 0.9% in Q1 2026
Media attention to the topic of climate change declined to an average of 0.9% in the first quarter of 2026 across German media outlets. Attention levels varied by outlet, ranging from 1.7% on tagesschau.de to 0.2% on bild.de. Overall, 2019 marked an all-time high, with average attention levels reaching 2.3%. Since 2017, the Online Media […]
What is the Impact of Consensus Messages in Germany?
“97% of all climate scientists agree that human-made climate change is happening”— climate communication researchers regard this so-called consensus message as one of the most effective tools for reducing skepticism. How much does this number actually change in people’s minds? And what lies behind the oft-cited “Gateway Belief Model”? This post was orginally published in […]
Disruptive Klimaproteste und die Polarisierung der Klimadebatte: Drei Erkenntnisse aus unseren Studien
Wo steht Deutschland auf dem Weg zur Klimaneutralität – und warum gerät Klimaschutz gesellschaftlich zunehmend unter Druck? In unseren Studien über die Letzte Generation und Fridays for Future gehen wir einer zentralen Facette dieser Entwicklung nach: der Frage, wie sich unterschiedliche Formen von Klimaprotest auf die öffentliche Klimadebatte auswirken. Im Fokus stehen dabei die moderaten Protestformen […]
When communication meets reactance
When people feel their freedom is being threatened, they often react with rejection—a phenomenon known in psychology as “reactance.” This poses a significant challenge for climate communication, which must convince the public of the necessity for massive societal changes. But how exactly does this psychological resistance arise, and what can we do to mitigate or […]
Generational conflict or shared responsibility? Finding common ground across generations
When it comes to climate change, the interests of the young and the old seemingly stand diametrically opposed to one another. But does this oft-cited generational conflict truly exist? Or can our shared responsibility for the future be used to build new bridges? In today’s edition, we explore these questions by looking at three recent […]
Study of the month: How (radical) protest affects publics
Climate protests have repeatedly sparked broad public debates in recent years. At times, activists have even been compared to terrorist organizations—and public discourse has drifted away from the central question of how effective climate action can be achieved. Drawing on two studies, we ask: does it have to be this way? Research shows that both […]