Understanding climate polarization: Identification with and discrimination between climate policy opinion groups

While climate change requires decisive and rapid action, public discourse on the appropriateness of climate policies has intensified in many countries. Based on a quota-representative sample from Germany (N = 1,014), we show that people form groups based on their climate policy opinions, and that identification with these groups relates to different aspects of societal polarization and conflict. Specifically, more strongly identified individuals were more likely to surround themselves with like-minded people, discriminate against people with different opinions, and support extreme behaviors of opinion-congruent activistgroups. Identification was further related to individual climate behavior. The results indicate that climate policy polarization has the potential to fuel conflicts between different opinion-based groups and may impede political negotiation as well as compromise processes and peaceful societal change.