Scientist at Columbia University publishes research paper claiming climate change creates hate speech
Adjunct Senior Scientist at Columbia University, Dr. Anders Levermann, published a research paper claiming climate change is creating hate speech.
The research stated that temperatures too hot, above 86°F, or too cold, below 54°F, both correlate to online hate speech.
Adjunct Senior Scientist at Columbia University, Dr. Anders Levermann, published a research paper claiming climate change is creating hate speech.
In the academic article for Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Levermann alleged that “hate speech [increases] across climate zones, income groups and belief systems for temperatures too hot or too cold.”
The research stated that temperatures too hot, above 86°F, or too cold, below 54°F, both correlate to online hate speech. This correlation was determined by “the authors [analyzing] how the number of hate tweets changed when local temperatures increased or decreased.”
“Across the USA, the authors found low levels of hate tweets in a 'feel-good window' of 12-21°C (54-70 °F); the minimum of hate tweets is reached for temperatures between 15 and 18°C (59-65°F),” a summary of the research at Science Daily sates.
The researchers used the definition of hate speech provided by the United Nations: “Cases of discriminatory language with reference to a person or a group on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, race, color, descent, gender or other identity factors.”
Dr. Levermann has long advocated for investing in climate solutions. In a 2019 opinion piece written for the Guardian, Levermann stated, “We do not just need the 5-10% of the population willing and able to put time, money, and effort into change. We need everyone to turn the tide towards sustainability worldwide.”
In the same article, Levermann states, “[I]t’s true: people drive too much, eat too much meat, and fly too often,” but argues that in order to bring about the necessary “new industrial revolution,” there must be “structural change[s].”
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The Washington Post published an article covering the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated 385 billion US tax dollars to fighting climate change. Dr. Levermann is quoted in the article saying, “One could ask for more, one could always do more” in regards to the bill.
Campus Reform contacted Dr. Anders Levermann, Postdam University, and Columbia University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter @AJ_Willms
