A new study by the Europa-Universität Flensburg suggests that climate change skepticism is significantly rising in Germany. The research indicates that the skeptical attitude towards climate change and its associated processes and measures showed a marked increase between 2022 and 2023-the first clear increase in years. This rise is particularly strong among individuals holding a right-wing political orientation, those who have low trust in the federal government, and those with hierarchical worldviews.
Based on data collected from 3,074 people, the investigation found that 59 percent of respondents in 2023 reported having stronger skeptical views compared to the previous year. The study further highlighted a growing number of skeptics particularly within the group that had previously held low levels of skepticism. The researchers categorized the questions into five dimensions of climate change skepticism, including doubts about the human-caused climate crisis and criticisms of climate policy measures.
According to the findings, the increase in skepticism cannot be largely explained by individual economic circumstances. Instead, subjective attitudinal factors such as right-wing political alignments and distrust of state institutions are considered decisive. The researchers conclude that climate protection efforts must be designed in a way that is “socially just” if trust in political institutions is to be strengthened.
