Conspiracy theories and climate change: A systematic review

Abstract

Research on conspiracy theories and climate change is emerging. Existing studies came from a range of scholarly disciplines, asked different research questions, and used various research methods. Given the heterogeneity in these studies, there is a pressing need to synthesize the current state of knowledge on the topic and identify the priority directions for further research. We address this need with a preregistered systematic review. Our review covered 43 studies from 38 articles. We organized our review of these studies by the following methodological categories: survey studies, experiments, interview studies, media studies, ethnographic studies, and mathematically modelling. For each category, we offered a summary of evidence, highlighted the key insights, and identify knowledge gaps. We concluded with a proposed integrative framework for research on the topic. As conspiracy theories can be an obstacle to climate change mitigation and adaptation, the present review would provide invaluable insights for not only scientists but also climate-related practitioners (e.g., environmental organizations, educators) and decision makers (e.g., policymakers) to consider.