The Polarization of Climate Change Through Time

Climate change is a topic known to many, but fully understood by few. Known as a “wicked” problem, it is a complex topic that has a compounding number of necessary societal changes to reverse. These issues have caused discourse in the government and media, influencing public opinion by emphasizing the distrust in science to politicize and polarize climate change in the bipartisan United States. Through the study of climate policies, scientific data, private industry, and media, this thesis will analyze the impact of polarized political rhetoric on public understanding of climate change.