But this is not and has never been part of climate denialism messaging. In fact, the type of false statements you have been making (e.g. 99% of people dying—there is absolutely no scientific basis for this idea) are increasingly amplified by denialists to convince everyone that it’s too late to do anything.
We found that hope and optimism did not undermine perceptions about serious of the threat or likelihood of action. In fact, hope was associated with stronger threat appraisal and indicators of action. These findings provide important support for proponents of hope and optimism and a counter to those who suggest that positive states undermine recognition of conservation challenges.
So the science supports neither the idea that our children are doomed nor that holding a realistic but hopeful view of the future will prevent people from acting. In fact it is the exact thing people need to empower them to act.
But this is not and has never been part of climate denialism messaging. In fact, the type of false statements you have been making (e.g. 99% of people dying—there is absolutely no scientific basis for this idea) are increasingly amplified by denialists to convince everyone that it’s too late to do anything.
Research on this topic supports that a hopeful outlook not only does not reduce climate action, it helps to encourage it by reducing a sense that actions won’t have any real effect: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.14020
So the science supports neither the idea that our children are doomed nor that holding a realistic but hopeful view of the future will prevent people from acting. In fact it is the exact thing people need to empower them to act.