I find that to effectively convince a climate change denier, you gotta tap into their emotions. Because let’s face it, how could anyone not see and feel it’s getting warmer? A lot of the time, climate change deniers are simply having unconscious bias and they deny it is happening because they are trying to cope that an existential threat is real. I’m sure many of you know of people who sweep problems under the rug and pretend they doesn’t exist and hoping the problem will sort itself out. That’s what many climate change deniers are: they operate on emotions and unconscious bias because denying that a problem exist is a coping mechanism.

So, what I do is I mention and plant the idea in their heads that they know climate change is real because it is undeniable it’s getting warmer, but they are simply being too proud to admit it. A lot of them would also be religious, so mention to them about the Bible teaching about “pride before fall”. But say it in a way that it’s perfectly fine to not know about a topic and defer to those who are more knowledgeable. You have got to know where the person is coming from to effectively argue.

Lastly, don’t call climate change deniers stupid, it will only entrench them further. You have to explain to them like they are five why climate change is real, while also telling them that they know it’s real but simply too proud to admit it and it’s fine to defer to those more knowledgeable. A patient wouldn’t argue with doctors about the diagnosis and prescription (I know some patients do but most of the time most don’t).