Carbon News
  • Members
    • Login
      Forgot Password?
    • Not a member? Subscribe
    • Forgot Password
      Back to Login
    • Not a member? Subscribe
  • Home
  • New Zealand
    • Politics
    • Energy
    • Agriculture
    • Carbon emissions
    • Transport
    • Forestry
    • Business
  • Markets
    • Analysis
    • NZ carbon price
  • International
    • Australia
    • United States
    • China
    • Europe
    • United Kingdom
    • Canada
    • Asia
    • Pacific
    • Antarctic/Arctic
    • Africa
    • South America
    • United Nations
  • News Direct
    • Media releases
    • Climate calendar
  • About Carbon News
    • Contact us
    • Advertising
    • Subscribe
    • Service
    • Policies

Most people trust climate scientists less than other scientists, but not everywhere

21 May 2025

Depositphotos
Image: Depositphotos

Media release | Climate scientists are overall less trusted than other types of scientists, according to a new study led by the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response.

Dr Omid Ghasemi and colleagues compared responses from a survey of nearly 70,000 people across 68 countries on the trustworthiness of climate scientists with a broad range of other ideological and demographic factors.


“We don’t exist in a vacuum, and this research allows a new lens to view different factors that may influence how people view climate scientists – and the forces undermining public confidence in their work,” Dr Ghasemi says.


The results, rated on a 5-point scale from 1 (not at all), to 5 (very strongly), revealed an overall average trust rating of 3.5 for climate scientists worldwide compared to 3.62 for scientists in general.


However, six countries, and China in particular, bucked the trend entirely, indicating significantly higher trust in climate scientists.


Political polarisation putting ice caps at risk


The research showed people with right-leaning political views tended to trust climate scientists less overall, including in the US, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and much of Europe.


“It’s arguably not a surprise that you see significant increases in the trust gap between climate scientists and other scientists in these countries,” Dr Ghasemi says.


“They have had decades of coordinated efforts by conservative political actors and fossil fuel interests to politicise climate science and undermine its credibility.”


Interesting too, says Dr Ghasemi, are those countries which showed the opposite relationship, or no significant association between ideology and trust in climate scientists.


“In some Eastern European, Southeast Asian, and African countries, right-leaning individuals tended to trust scientists and climate scientists more,” Dr Ghasemi says.


“This might suggest that political leadership attitudes, rather than peoples’ political views, better explain these differences in trust.”


Demographic differences behind doubts


The survey data, collected as part of the collaborative Trust in Science and Science-Related Populism (TISP) project, covered a total 111 variables.


Dr Ghasemi’s analysis of the data collected reveals some non-political factors may also be linked to higher trust in climate scientists, such as living in cities, having stronger religious beliefs, valuing science or the scientific method, or being a younger rather than older adult.


Meanwhile, people who support social hierarchies and those who believe common sense is better than scientific expertise are less likely to trust climate scientists.

print this story


Related Topics:   Science

More >
Media releases
More >

Key orange roughy population on verge of collapse, govt considers closure

Wed 9 Jul 2025

Media release - Deep Sea Conservation Coalition | New data reveals that New Zealand’s main orange roughy fishery, accounting for half of the country’s total catch, is on the brink of collapse, with one model showing it may have reached that point already, and the government’s considering closing it.

Unlocking economic growth on conservation land

Wed 9 Jul 2025

Media release - New Zealand Government | A targeted effort to reduce the backlog of applications for use of conservation land is accelerating economic growth without compromising conservation values, says Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.

High Court agrees with Environmental Defence Society - law must be followed as it stands now

Mon 7 Jul 2025

Media release – Environmental Defence Society | The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) welcomes the High Court’s finding in Box Property Investments Ltd v The Expert Consenting Panel that decisions must be made based on the law as it currently stands, not on potential future legislative changes.

The change in Southern Ocean structure can drive a release in carbon to the atmosphere

Change in Southern Ocean structure could have climate implications

Mon 7 Jul 2025

Media release – Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC) | Satellite data processing algorithms developed by ICM-CSIC have played a crucial role in detecting this significant shift in the Southern Hemisphere, which could accelerate the effects of climate change.

Biodiversity plan is ‘light on detail and heavy on vague intentions’

1 Jul 2025

Media Release - WWF New Zealand | The government’s plan to tackle Aotearoa New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis lacks ambition and fails to match the scale and urgency of the challenge.

Gas decline increases urgency for new electricity generation

1 Jul 2025

Media release – Transpower | Declining gas availability means New Zealand has to lift the pace at which it is delivering new electricity generation to reliably meet growing demand over the coming years, a new report from Transpower shows.

Hopeful new way to measure human progress

30 Jun 2025

Media release - University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau | In response to the climate crisis, a new way to measure how well people and nature are living together has been announced in the world's leading scientific journal Nature.

Sustainability rising in importance amid increasing strain on professionals

26 Jun 2025

Media release - Sustainable Business Council | Research released today into New Zealand’s sustainability profession reveals a compelling picture of a profession which is gaining strategic traction, while grappling with systemic challenges.

Most staple food crop production will face big losses due to climate change

25 Jun 2025

Media Release – Springer Nature | Most staple food crops are expected to experience substantial production losses due to climate change, even when mitigation measures to limit the impact of climate change are considered.

Latest trawl bycatch numbers 'a grim wake-up call'

24 Jun 2025

Media release – Greenpeace | The latest fisheries bycatch data paints a grim picture, with trawlers hauling up thousands of kilograms of coral and killing hundreds of fur seals and seabirds over a 12 month period.

Carbon News

Subscriptions, Advertising & General

[email protected]

Editorial

[email protected]

We welcome comments, news tips and suggestions - please also use this address to submit all media releases for News Direct).

Useful Links
Home About Carbon News Contact us Advertising Subscribe Service Policies
New Zealand
Politics Energy Agriculture Carbon emissions Transport Forestry Business
International
Australia United States China Europe United Kingdom Canada Asia Pacific Antarctic/Arctic Africa South America United Nations
Home
Markets
Analysis NZ carbon price
News Direct
Media releases Climate calendar

© 2008-2025 Carbon News. All Rights Reserved. • Your IP Address: 216.73.216.158 • User account: Sign In

Please wait...
Audit log: