Flooding disasters, wildfires, droughts – the consequences of climate change are already being felt. And yet the influence of climate change deniers is growing. Their goals: sow doubt, delay climate protection measures, discredit research.

Climate policy as mere hysteria, pushed through by a "climate dictatorship" in a "DDR 2.0" – that's the worldview of climate change deniers. They're convinced: climate change is nothing but a massive hoax, invented to force deindustrialisation and strip citizens of their freedoms.

Alongside this classic form of climate change denial, more subtle forms have also emerged. Here, climate change itself is no longer called into question, but instead humanity's own contribution is downplayed – or climate protection measures are attacked. This is referred to as climate obstruction or blocking climate protection.

Why do people deny climate change…

Read and listen to the full article by Jonas Reese and Christopher Weingart at: deutschlandfunk.de