Could you be with a partner who doesn't believe in climate change?

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DH doesn't really think it's all that bad. He thinks we should be recyling more and caring for the planet as makes sense and is just the right thing to do - but that climate change as a disaster is an exaggeration and not based in science. And that people are utilising it for their own agenda, woke brigade & so on.

We have young kids.

AIBU to find this position increasingly problematic?

People are going to say people are allowed different opinions but he seems geniunely unconcerned about future of planet for our kids - and I find that hard to swallow.

There are vineyards in York today - what’s your point?

That it was hotter in the Medieval Warm Period...was that not obvious? 😂

It's important to consider both sides, not get caught in an echo chamber. Try it

It’s not a case of different opinions. It is a question of facing up to the facts. The planet is on its way to destruction and everyone better believe it and help stop the escalation.
The planet is on fire already.
I could not put up with this denial tbh.

This ☝️

It's so strange how so many of you here are denying the facts (the medieval warm period for example).

Look. Let's use hard facts. Per Legates et al, of 11,944 peer reviewed publications on climate change in scientific journals published since 1950 only 0.5% have discussed an increase in temperature (and co2).

You just refuse to hear it, because this climate fad is the distorted religion of the mass thinkers, intent on absolute tyranny of thought without any ability to see past it. We've not seen anything like this since communism in Germany.

If I can engage with them and discuss why they think climate change isn't as serious as is being made out, then...perhaps.

The problem is that climate change denial rarely comes on its own. The same people often turn out to be vaxxers, Brexiteers, xenophobes, and "great replacement" conspiracy theorists

No guesses for whom you voted...

@Goshthatwentquickly Are you paid to post climate change disinformation or do you do it for free?

I absolutely love how you're proving my point.

We have.

The covid madness.

YABU

There's no doubt many of the people speaking out have their own agenda.

Assuming you're choosing to believe 100% of the information we're given on TV / mainstream media and he's questioning it, I'm in his camp.

I would think it might make him more intelligent as he thinks for himself and doesn't just follow the party line that is pumped out by the mainstream media 24/7...you know the media that wants you to accept a man is a woman and vice.versa, that vaccines are totally safe etc etc etc.
The party line that if you ever question anything you are a hater, a conspiracy theorist and need punished or reeducated.
My opinion! I'm sure u won't agree. But I think your husband has a point!

Just Google weather in most of Europe at the moment....France/Germany etc rain rain and more rain just like us. It is hot in parts of Greece and there have been fires. Some have been started by arson. If u take the media at face value u think the whole of Europe except us is boiling. It most certainly isn't.

The citation of the Medieval Warm Period is a red herring.

Whether it was warmer then or now is controversial, although it is definitely fair to say that temperatures were similar.

So the issue is, what were the causes then and what were the causes now?

The MWP coincidences with a period of increased solar radiation, and lower volcanic activity. Both of those factors increase global temperatures. Both naturally drop off over time.

Neither of those factors are present now, solar radiation is low and volcanic activity is high.

And, of course, it has been conclusively demonstrated that current climate change is driven by human activity, which won’t naturally decrease over time - and which is why global temperatures will continue to increase (significantly beyond what they were in the MWP).

I couldn’t be with someone who doesn’t show basic respect for the environment and wildlife but equally I couldn’t be with someone who was a raging loon (just stop oil). The ops’ husband does respect the environment. I am not sure what she wants him to do? Get arrested, lie down on the runway at Heathrow to stop a flight taking off? The fact that the op is even thinking about breaking up her family and exposing her children to the trauma of divorce over something even the experts can’t agree over is mind blowing. It sounds unhinged.

Another recent red herring in the thread- “it was cooler in 2022 than it was in 2016.

That is both absolutely true and yet completely beside the point.

Nobody expects the world to get reliably slightly warmer, year on year, without variance. The significance is in the overall trends.

If you look at any graph of global temperatures, the upwards trend over time is abundantly clear. Comparing and contrasting two (carefully selected years) while ignoring the trend is absurd.

He hasn't said he doesn't believe in it, just that he doesn't think it is that bad - what is wrong with that? He is still doing his bit - what more do you want him to do? Even if he suddenly decides that things are as bad as you think they are, how is that going to solve anything? His view is no worse in my opinion than those who are overly invested and constantly lecturing us about what we should and shouldn't do.

People have had partners forever who hold differing opinions on politics, religion, etc. - mostly they just steer clear of the subject and get along. I really would hope I'm not so shallow that I wouldn't be with someone who had this one flaw. We are all entitled to our own opinions, and shouldn't try to enforce our views on someone else.

Did my degree many moons ago in physics, lectured in the subject for a decade. My opinion is that there is climate change, man has played a part in it, but in practical terms there is not a lot that can be done, at least not in my lifetime.

So I really don't think about it (save replying to something like this), I'd say I don't care about it in an emotional way, it's just not on my radar.

I don't think your husband is a denier of anything, he's skeptical about the messaging, which is fine. I'd just avoid it as a topic - for me its a total non topic, wouldn't enter into a climate change discussion (ie how to stop it) as there really is no point, its time wasted.

If you Google “storm switzerland” you’ll see the most incredible images from a storm on Monday, more severe than I’ve ever seen anywhere
and there was severe flooding in Italy last week with massive hailstones the size of footballs

as you were…..

If he does believe in it, what do you think he can achieve with his newfound belief? As in I doubt very much that your husband's beliefs can do much about it anyway.

My anecdote (and yes, using one example of extreme weather as proof of climate change is an absolute folly) is that, a couple of years ago, where I live, we had a heatwave.

The highest temperature recorded was just a fraction of a degree short of 50 degrees celsius - hotter than has ever been recorded in Spain or Greece, for example.

What scorchingly hot country do I live in?

Canada.

I don't believe in human caused climate change. There are no scientific facts to prove it. I am, of course, against pollution and for recycling but what is happening with climate has nothing to do with what we do. It is a normal cycle of Earth change, same like ice age and very warm periods following ice age that caused massive floods.

You cannot be series? I'm just mind blown that people can be so in denial?

Does this help a bit more, goes back slightly more than the 18th century as some of you don't believe