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.

Tbf, he's no longer denies climate change, but I think he still not convinced it's driven by human behaviour. We no longer discuss it, but he's very responsible about re-cycling, bought a hybrid car etc.

He's really embarrassed about the Trump shit.

Says nothing when I point out the 'obvious, incredible benefits' of Brexit, accompanied by a huge eyeroll.

But the easiest way to other people is to find a point of difference and then imbue this other as an entirely oppositional entity. This way you can paint them as a hateful figure and save yourself the task of building a conversation with them and finding points of similarity and compromise. Welcome to the new politics.

No, because you think anyone who has a different opinion to you is automatically stupid and wrong with no ability to consider alternative theories. You must be quite fragile.

You wouldn't be unreasonable either way . It's down to your own beliefs and what you find acceptable for your partner's beliefs to differ from yours . It doesn't matter what other people in here think.

OP can you clarify because it seems lots of posters are getting the impression that your DH is a climate change denier? I got the impression myself that he is not a climate change denier, but he thinks some of the disaster dialogue is exaggerated and that some are using it for their own agenda? Which is it?

@Tribute219 "
No, because you think anyone who has a different opinion to you is automatically stupid and wrong with no ability to consider alternative theories. You must be quite fragile."
I don't think people who have a different opinion to mine is automatically stupid and wrong. I think they are stupid and wrong if they persist in holding views that have no scientific basis whatsoever.

Incidentally, that's not what fascist means.

No one doesn't believe in climate change.
It's entirely likely that our affect is overstated by politicians.

I don't understand the scientific methods behind it so I can't know whether it is or not.

I do what I find reasonable to tread lightly on the earth and that's it. I don't worry, cry, protest, or think much about the impact of climate change and find focusing on it a bit strange as you could instead focus on spreading awareness on an aspect that would really help the planet and its inhabitants (fewer private cars, fewer children, veganism, zero waste)

But shouting at people that the climate is changing seems a huge waste of time

Insulate Britain were wrong too.

Before Insulate Britain started protesting the government had green grants for homeowners to insulate their homes for free or at an over 50% discount.

After Insulate Britain’s protests the government ended all these grants.

Their protests not only did not help, they caused a backlash that has set things back.

JSO protests are having the same impact. Why do you think our PM is U-turning on U.K. environmental commitments? It’s because of the JSO lunacy.

Mine's starting to lose respect for it, claiming it is exaggerated for political purposes (I agree to an extent). I am quite green, do my bit with recycling, refill shops, not driving everywhere but even I am becoming resigned to it all being too little too late. I shall continue doing my bit but DH is quite derisive of it. We slightly fell out because I keep turning the microwave off at the wall! There are worse things to disagree about.

Out of interest, OP, do you go abroad on holiday? Do you drive a car? Do you have a smartphone? Do you buy fast fashion? Do you use plastic? If you do any of those things then you're a bit hypocritical, aren't you?

What are the scientific facts please?

I doubt this would be many peoples red line, especially when you've said he does recycle and care for the planet? Is there more you would like him to do regarding climate change? Or is it jist a differing of opinions that won't make any difference to anything?

But not, to coin a phrase, to his own facts

Surely the most hypocritical thing is that the OP has children! So called ‘climate change’ has been a thing for many years now. The greatest negative impact on the planet is from human behaviour. Having more children is adding to that.

You say he recycles and tries to take care of the planet recognising it as the right thing to do. Personally I think trying to do the right thing outweighs people changing behaviour out of fear of climate change and I would focus on that avoiding going into the topic too much

It’s not too little, too late. We need to stay the course in the U.K. while other countries do the same and a dirty dozen countries need to clean up their act.

Oh, just so you know about the turning off appliances at the wall that’s not needed anymore.

It saved decent bits of energy back in 2005 or so, but since then new EU and UK energy efficiency regulations for all electrical appliances mean that they are no longer energy vampires.

Shutting off all your appliances at the wall would now only save you maybe 3p a year (and that’s with the new energy cap).

Just trying to help you rub along better.

Or the hard of thinking have convinced themselves that he has. He's done it to placate the 4WD multi holiday bunch and the " had enough of experts" anti science that they don't understand and fear might cost money bunch. Votes.

Climate change denialist is like COVID denialist.

It gets used for people who are genuinely just mad conspiracy theorists, equally for people who just think there are different solutions to hard problems.

OP, don't break up a family over this. My genuine advice is, talk with him, but never have a debate about "do you believe in climate change". It will lead nowhere because you're both defining it differently and it's just too high level and emotional.

Instead have conversations about specific policies: what do you think of the proposal to [build new offshore wind] or whatever? What are some pros? What are some challenges you see?

This way you avoid falling into the trap of just thinking e.g. "all climate deniers want to block renewables" or something. Maybe he's concerned about energy security and he supports all new energy projects, for example. Don't make assumptions and sweeping statements, and try to find things you agree on.

He might find the programme The Lost Century an eye opener. I did.

I'd find it very difficult to remain with someone who had such views. If they were able to show me the science (real science not conspiracy theories) to back up their ideas, if they were an expert in the field, then perhaps it would be different. I have an MSc in the topic, so I'd need some rigorous argument backed by evidence. Otherwise, as others have said, I'd find it difficult to respect his intelligence and would worry about what had led him to be a climate change denier. It often goes hand in hand with mental health conditions, belief in conspiracy theories or simply a desire to ignore difficult realities, all of which could cause problems. It might also get in the way of making a difference and trying to mitigate climate change: for me, a relationship is about sharing ethics and acting ethically together, with joint purpose.

Don't know how it became the mark of a good parent to raiseyour children in futile terror for the future.

Op's husband is right. If op disagrees why on earth did she have kids?

Now, now, the op has two children just like her husband but she REALLY worries, right? That's her road to absolution, she can have the same carbon footprint as her dh so long as she goes around telling everyone how very anxious she is about it all, and then she is better than him, I think, is that right?

Exactly. Such a good and kind perspn (who manufactured two people to live through what she seems to believe will be a rerun of Cormac McCarthy s The Road)

I believe so. It’s a common human pattern of behaviour that when slandered as doing nothing to then think, liar I’ll show you nothing you are not the boss of me.