Citizens' Climate Lobby

Hot Mess Part Five: The Emotional Web of Climate Skepticism


Listen Later

This episode of Hot Mess: How Climate Consensus Led to Political Chaos explores the emotional and psychological forces that fueled climate skepticism and the role of media and fossil fuel interests in amplifying doubt. It examines how the once bipartisan approach to climate action fractured, with key players like conservative media and environmental activists shaping public perceptions. The episode highlights how emotional manipulation and misinformation campaigns delayed meaningful climate action and offers insights into reclaiming the narrative for a bipartisan path forward.

Guest Descriptions
  1. Chelsea Henderson

    • Host of RepublicEn's Eco Right Speaks Podcast.
    • Author of Glacial: The Untold Story of Climate Politics.
    • Chelsea provides a deep dive into the role of conservative media in spreading climate skepticism and the political challenges surrounding cap-and-trade policies.
    • Katie Zakrzewski

      • Co-host of Green Tea Party Radio.
      • Katie discusses how fear-based environmental messaging and divisive protest strategies alienated potential allies, leading to unintended negative impacts.
      • Links to Organizations Mentioned
        1. RepublicEn: https://republicen.org

          • Home of Eco Right Speaks Podcast.
          • Green Tea Party Radio: https://greenteapartyradio.com

          • Union of Concerned Scientists: https://www.ucsusa.org

          • Citizens Climate Education: https://citizensclimateeducation.org

          • Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org

          • The Guardian’s Climate Reporting: https://theguardian.com/environment

            Three Compelling Quotes
            1. Chelsea Henderson:

              "Rush Limbaugh didn’t just challenge climate science; he weaponized it to dismantle bipartisan efforts, turning climate action into a partisan battleground."

            2. Katie Zakreski:

              "Fear-based environmental messaging created not action but paralysis—fueling despair rather than empowering solutions."

            3. Peterson Toscano:

              "By exploiting our emotional vulnerabilities, the fossil fuel industry delayed action and protected profits at the expense of the planet."

              Join the Conversation:

              Follow and engage with us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok. Share your thoughts and join the discussion using #CitizensClimateRadio.
              Call or text our listener voicemail line: (619) 512-9646 (+1 if calling from outside the USA).
              Email us at radio @ citizensclimate.org.

              ...more
              View all episodesView all episodes
              Download on the App Store

              Citizens' Climate LobbyBy Citizens\' Climate Lobby

              • 4.7
              • 4.7
              • 4.7
              • 4.7
              • 4.7

              4.7

              57 ratings


              More shows like Citizens' Climate Lobby

              View all
              This American Life by This American Life

              This American Life

              91,055 Listeners

              Fresh Air by NPR

              Fresh Air

              38,478 Listeners

              Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

              Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

              38,764 Listeners

              The Moth by The Moth

              The Moth

              27,237 Listeners

              The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

              The NPR Politics Podcast

              25,891 Listeners

              The Rachel Maddow Show by Rachel Maddow, MSNBC

              The Rachel Maddow Show

              36,970 Listeners

              Climate One by Climate One from The Commonwealth Club

              Climate One

              567 Listeners

              The Daily by The New York Times

              The Daily

              112,454 Listeners

              Up First from NPR by NPR

              Up First from NPR

              56,402 Listeners

              Stay Tuned with Preet by Preet Bharara

              Stay Tuned with Preet

              32,386 Listeners

              The Daily Show: Ears Edition by Comedy Central

              The Daily Show: Ears Edition

              14,321 Listeners

              Consider This from NPR by NPR

              Consider This from NPR

              6,386 Listeners

              Politicology by Politicology

              Politicology

              15,929 Listeners

              The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

              The Ezra Klein Show

              16,097 Listeners

              The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart by Comedy Central

              The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

              10,815 Listeners