Stop Using the 97% Consensus. It’s Making Climate Skeptics Worse.
The ‘97% consensus’ is the most common climate argument—and it’s backfiring. Psychology shows that leading with authority instead of evidence triggers reactance in skeptics, making them double down. Real persuasion requires empathy, stories, and personal connection, not a tribal badge. Here’s why the number you’re using is making things worse, and what to say instead.