Transparency and Trust in the United States’ Response to and Attitudes about Climate Change

This article explores the concept of “climate transparency” in two related settings: in communication about climate change policy by US political elites and in public opinion among the US population. We consider the meaning of the term “transparency” and how climate transparency has risen to prominence in the worldwide effort to combat climate change. We then analyse two sides of transparency in the United States’ treatment of the climate crisis: what political leaders have said about climate transparency and how the public has perceived it. Our analysis combines two methodological approaches: linguistic corpus analysis and public opinion data analysis. The corpus, which includes speeches delivered by Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, John Kerry and Al Gore at COP summits, illustrates how the United States has contributed to transparent approaches to fighting climate change. This analysis emphasises US political leaders’ usage of the terms “accountable,” “candid,” “honest,” and “transparent;” “fossil fuels” and “decarbonisation” (as transparency requires the problem to be named directly); and “science” and “scientists” (the source of information that needs to be shared transparently). Meanwhile, analysis of public opinion data from a large sample of Americans reveals that individuals who agree with the Biden administration on climate policy are especially inclined to view the administration as transparent and trustworthy, as are those who have confidence in scientists, liberals, and older, better educated, and non-white Americans. The corpus analysis speaks directly to the public opinion analysis, as we examine the circumstances under which leaders who prioritise climate protection are perceived as transparent and trustworthy.