Mark McCaffrey & Josh Rosenau

Programs and Policy Directors

http://ncse.com

NCSE’s New Climate Change Education

Initiative

•Non-profit membership organization devoted to defending science education at local, state and national levels.

•Focus primarily on defending the teaching of evolution and climate change

•4500 members including scientists, teachers, clergy, and citizens with diverse religious and political affiliations

•Often work behind the scenes

Counter-denialism ecosystems

Niche EvolutionGlobal warming

Scientific analysis

Panda’s Thumb

Real Climate

Rebuttals TalkOriginsSkeptical Science

Legal/lobbying

ACLU, AU, etc.

Enviro. groups

Positive edu.

content

Understanding

Evolution

Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network, advocacy groups, EPA, NOAA,

NASA websites

Combatting bad edu. content

NCSE ???

Challenges to Climate Change Education

NRC Workshop Report 2011•Climate change is complicated, rife with popular misconceptions

•Climate change is inherently cross-disciplinary and should be taught throughout across the curriculum

•It hasn’t been well coordinated (or represented in standards)

•It has been politically polarized

Related Issues•Emotional and psychological/sociological challenges

•Absent/underrepresented in standards and curriculum

•Taught in brief “drive-by” fashion

•Taught as controversy, giving “both sides” equal weight

Pillars of Creationism

Evolution is a “theory in

crisis”

Evolution and religion are incompatible

It’s only “fair” to teach creationism with evolution

Pillars of climate change denial

Climate change is weak science

Climate change is anti-capitalist

Unfair to impose climate solutions

until everyone agrees

Some scientists believe that adding COSome scientists believe that adding CO22 to the atmosphere…from burning coal…to the atmosphere…from burning coal…will…make the earthwill…make the earth’’s climate become s climate become warmer… Other scientists do not believe warmer… Other scientists do not believe this is likely, or have said the this is likely, or have said the climate is made up of many complex climate is made up of many complex factors we do not fully understand. … factors we do not fully understand. … More time is needed for researchers to More time is needed for researchers to gather information on these questions.gather information on these questions.

Global warming may or may not be a problem. Man may or may not be

driving it. Given the uncertainties, a significant amount of global regret may apply if we divert too much of

our global wealth to solving what may be a non-existent or trivial problem, especially if that diversion mires

billions in poverty. On the other hand, we may also regret not doing anything if man-made global

warming does turn out to be a problem.

• Environmentalism and climate change are a new religion.

• Their policies are devastating to the world’s poor.

• They threaten the sanctity of life.

• They target our youth with a global vision.

• James 4:7: “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Teach the Controversy!

( “Academic Freedom” Bills)• “Critical Thinking”

• Singles out evolution, climate change

• Undermines nature of science

• Permission slip for climate change denial, etc.

“Academic

freedom ” acts

“shall not be construed” to

promote religion

“full range of views,”

“rights” of students & teachers;

“alternative theories”

40+ bills since 200413 states introduced

1 bill passed

5 filed in 2012 alone

“critical analysis,” “strengths

& weaknesse

s ”; permissive

; adds global

warming, cloning,

etc.Texas Texas stds., stds., local local

policies policies in in

CA, MT, CA, MT, WI, etc.WI, etc.

Tennessee

Questioning the Science

• “Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly. Therefore, you need to continue to make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue in the debate.”

• “Winning the Global Warming Debate: An Overview” 2002 Memo for GOP Congressional Candidates, Luntz Research Companies.

States of Denial: Knowing about Atrocities and

Suffering (Cohen 2001)

1)Literal (It’s not happening)

2)Interpretive (It’s happening but not what you think)3)Denying the

implications and responsibility

PoliticalConservativesReligious

Right

ReligiousConservatives

Anti-Global Warming

http://globalchange.gov/resources/educators

http://globalchange.gov/resources/educators

Good News:Next

Generation Science

Standards are coming!

How important do you think improving the quality of science education in our public schools is to our country’s ability to

compete globally?

Public Opinion Strategies and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research

}84%

Extremely importantVery importantSomewhat importantNot important

What grade would you give science education

in public schools?

Public Opinion Strategies and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research

Clifton Park, NY•Parent contacts NCSE: “My daughter’s 9th grade Earth Science teacher is doubt-mongering the scientific consensus that climate change is occurring and is mainly due to human activity.”

•NCSE guides parent through school bureaucracy, puts her in touch with local science education leaders.

•Teacher agrees to stop undermining climate science.

What NCSE does/can do

•Assist in local flareups, track and collate flareup data

•Support, train, and engage local activists

•Build networks of scientists, lawyers, clergy, businesses, activists, policymakers

•Develop and lobby for good standards

•Lobby against bad bills and for good ones

•Connect teachers with good educational materials

•Analyze and refute denialist educational materials

•Serve as clearinghouse for media, activists, scientists, lawyers, policymakers, and other stakeholders

Climate Change 101: Is the climate changing?, Is it because of humans?, What will the effects be?, What can we do?Teaching Climate Change: Principles, Communicating CC to students, Countering climate confusion, Addressing denial and doubt in the classroom, Making it relevant, Resources for teachersClimate Change Denial: Pillars of denial, How denial affects our schools, Why is it called denial?Taking Action: Defending/Supporting climate change education, Voices for climate change, Advice on letters to the editor/public testimony, Why climate change isn’t taught

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