Reclaiming Freedom: How a Patriotism Appeal Could Shift the Climate Debate
"Freedom" has become a powerful, often weaponized term in American politics. While Republicans frequently invoke the concept to promote individual liberty and limited government, Vice President Kamala Harris is attempting to reclaim the word for Democrats. In her recent speech at the Democratic National Convention, she declared that "fundamental freedoms" were at stake in the upcoming election, emphasizing "the freedom to breathe clean air and drink clean water and live free from the pollution that fuels the climate crisis." This approach suggests a shift in framing climate action as a fundamental right, not just an environmental concern, and offers a potential pathway to bridge the political divide on climate change.
A new study by researchers at New York University (NYU) provides compelling evidence to support Harris’s approach. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that framing climate action as patriotic and essential to preserving the "American way of life" can significantly increase support for climate action across the political spectrum. This strategy, the researchers argue, can effectively overcome the ideological barriers that have historically hindered climate action in the United States.
"It’s encouraging to see politicians adopting this type of language," said Katherine Mason, a co-author of the study and a psychology researcher at NYU. She believes that this type of rhetoric "may bridge political divides about climate change." This finding is particularly encouraging given that, according to a recent CBS News poll, 70 percent of Americans already support government action to address climate change, including a majority of younger Republicans. Harnessing this existing public support through powerful language could be a game-changer in the fight against climate change.
The study’s results are consistent with the long-held belief among climate experts that appealing to Americans’ sense of patriotism could be a critical factor in mobilizing them on climate action. This strategy has been employed by the Biden administration, which has pushed for policies aimed at manufacturing electric vehicles and chargers domestically, asserting that "the great American road trip can be electrified." Harris reinforced this approach during the recent presidential debate with Donald Trump, highlighting efforts to craft "American-made" EVs and reframing a question about fracking into a call for reduced reliance on "foreign oil." By associating climate action with American ingenuity, economic growth, and national independence, the administration hopes to resonate with a wider range of voters.
To assess the effectiveness of patriotic framing, Mason and her colleagues conducted the largest study to date on the topic, involving nearly 60,000 participants from 63 countries. Participants read messages that emphasized the patriotic duty to protect the environment, highlighting how such actions would "keep the United States as it should be.” These messages were accompanied by visual aids featuring the American flag, picturesque national parks, and climate-related impacts, such as flooded Houston and wildfire-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge.
The study found that reading these messages significantly boosted participants’ belief in climate change, their willingness to share information about climate change on social media, and their support for environmental policies, including carbon taxes and expanded public transit. This suggests that appealing to patriotic values can effectively address the psychological barrier that leads people to resist change for fear of disrupting the status quo.
The study’s findings point to a shift in messaging from the traditional approach of asking people to make sacrifices for the greater good. As Emma Frances Bloomfield, a communication professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, points out, asking people to give up things can lead to backlash. Instead, the patriotic framing reverses this approach, arguing that taking action for the environment "will prevent the radical change of the environmental catastrophe."
While the study’s findings are promising for the United States, the effectiveness of patriotic framing is not universal. The study found that while the approach was successful in Brazil, France, and Israel, it backfired in Germany, Belgium, and Russia. This suggests that cultural nuances and national identities need to be carefully considered when employing such messaging.
Bloomfield cautions against potentially manipulative applications of this strategy. "Patriotism or any kind of framing message, I think, can definitely backfire if it’s not seen as an authentic connection on values," she said. The key is to avoid disingenuous flag-waving that could alienate potential allies.
Furthermore, talking about a global environmental problem in an overly nationalistic, competitive way can be counterproductive. A study published in the journal Environmental Communication found that a "green nationalist" framing, which pits nations against one another in terms of environmental progress, actually reduced support for policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions. This suggests that appealing to regional loyalty, when strategically crafted, can be effective, but care must be taken to avoid promoting harmful nationalist narratives.
The success of the "Don’t Mess With Texas" campaign, launched in the 1980s to combat litter along the state’s highways, provides a compelling example of the potential of regional pride to mobilize positive change. The campaign, which targeted young men who saw littering as a right, successfully leveraged Texas pride to achieve a 72 percent reduction in highway litter within four years. This demonstrates that channelled effectively, regional loyalty can be a potent force for environmental protection.
The NYU study paves the way for a new approach to climate communication, one that leverages patriotism and the desire to preserve the "American way of life" to build support for climate action. While it’s not a silver bullet, adopting this framing can be a powerful tool in bringing a wider range of Americans, including those who may traditionally resist environmental policies, on board with the fight against climate change.
The success of this approach depends on its authentic and respectful application. As we face the urgent challenge of climate change, understanding how to effectively resonate with diverse audiences is critical. By harnessing patriotism, while navigating the complexities of national identity and global cooperation, we can pave the way for a more sustainable and just future.
