{
  "id": 37434,
  "title": "Germany: As temperatures rise, so does climate skepticism",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/germany-as-temperatures-rise-so-does-climate-skepticism-37434",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-02T08:44:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW News",
    "slug": "dw-news",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/germany-as-temperatures-rise-so-does-climate-skepticism/a-78206354?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent research from Flensburg University reveals a significant rise in skepticism towards climate change among a majority of the population in Germany. Between 2022 and 2023, 59% of the 3,074 people surveyed expressed more doubts about climate change compared to the previous year. The researchers did not attribute this increase primarily to individual economic situations, but rather to factors such as right-leaning political orientation, distrust of state institutions, and dissatisfaction with democracy.\n\nSocial psychologist Marlene Altenmüller, while acknowledging the importance and fascination of the Flensburg study, expressed doubts about its alarming tone. She pointed out that despite the growing number of people with doubts about climate change, this group is still relatively small. Altenmüller's research suggests that people in Germany do not have fundamental doubts about scientific evidence, but rather their skepticism varies based on the topic and the group to which they feel they belong.\n\nAltenmüller emphasizes that climate skepticism is often driven by people aligning themselves with their group's identity and values, rather than being rooted in a distinct personality structure. She also notes that climate skepticism is more prevalent among those who tend to prioritize party over policy, meaning that if right-wing parties were to advocate for climate action, their followers might also support such measures.\n\nThe study underlines that climate change skepticism manifests in various forms, including the rejection of climate policy measures based on assumptions that the situation may not be as severe or that human activity is not the cause. Another form is the belief that climate change discourse is a conspiracy theory. Professor Stephan Lewandowsky, a cognitive scientist at the universities of Bristol and Potsdam, investigates how misinformation and conspiracy theories influence people's acceptance or rejection of scientific evidence, particularly in relation to vaccines and climate change. He observes that certain individuals are more susceptible to conspiracy theories, which can provide temporary psychological comfort but ultimately lead to negative consequences such as loss of employment, social connections, and mental health issues.\n\nAltenmüller and researchers like Lewandowsky insist that climate change skepticism should be taken seriously as a means to effectively integrate climate protection measures into society. Jagadish Thaker, an expert in climate change communication from Australia, points out that media coverage of extreme weather events, while extensive, often fails to highlight the connection to climate change. He argues that in the global south, where climate change is a matter of daily survival due to issues like access to clean water, people are more focused on immediate survival rather than ideological debates. Thaker stresses the need for better information and understanding of the impacts of climate change, especially in regions where the consequences are more immediate and tangible.",
  "summary": "Some 98% of active climate scientists say climate change is happening, and is man-made. Nonetheless, a new study shows the number of climate-change skeptics in Germany has increased. Why is that?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Deutsche Welle Science",
        "title": "Germany: As temperatures rise, so does climate skepticism",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/02/germany-as-temperatures-rise-so-does-climate-skepticism",
        "published": "2026-08-02T08:44:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}