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Messages from co-partisan elected officials can increase climate mitigation intentions without changing climate beliefs

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  • Victor Y. Wu

    (Stanford University)

Abstract

Increasing belief in climate change is often considered a prerequisite to motivating climate action. However, partisan polarization has crystallized climate beliefs, and the narrowing window for climate mitigation demands urgent behavior change. This study investigates whether messages from co-partisan elected officials can directly boost intentions to adopt climate-friendly behaviors without changing underlying beliefs about climate change. In two preregistered survey experiments—one on solar panels (n = 9298) and one on electric vehicles (n = 9903)—I find that co-partisan elite messages can increase climate-mitigation intentions among self-reported Republicans and Democrats alike, even though such messages do not affect climate beliefs. Furthermore, I find that messages centering climate change are just as persuasive for Republicans as non-climate framings, challenging previous work showing that climate change rhetoric triggers a “backfire effect” reducing Republicans’ mitigation behaviors. Finally, I test the theory of “credibility-enhancing displays” and find limited evidence that partisan elites are more effective at motivating mitigation intentions when they themselves engage in those behaviors.

Suggested Citation

  • Victor Y. Wu, 2025. "Messages from co-partisan elected officials can increase climate mitigation intentions without changing climate beliefs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-64678-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64678-3
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