Americans Lose Interest in Global Warming
Even though recently 18 scientific organizations wrote Congress to reaffirm the consensus behind global warming and a federal government report found that global warming is upsetting the Arctic’s thermostat, a new poll says that just 57 percent of Americans think there is solid evidence the world is getting warmer, down 20 points in just three years.
A new Pew Research Center for the People & the Press poll shows the number of people saying there is strong scientific evidence that the Earth has gotten warmer over the past few decades is down from 71 percent in April of last year and from 77 percent when Pew started asking the question in 2006. The number of people who see the situation as a serious problem also has declined.
Also, the share of people in the U.S. who believe that pollution caused by humans is causing temperatures to rise has also gotten lower, even as the world gears up for possible action against climate change.
The steepest drop has occurred this year, as Congress and the Obama administration have taken steps to control heat-trapping emissions for the first time and international negotiations for a new treaty to slow global warming have gotten under way. All this in view of mounting scientific evidence of climate change – from melting ice caps to the world’s oceans hitting the highest monthly recorded temperatures this summer.
The opinions appear to be strongly related to political, rather than scientific views, which doesn’t surprise us one bit. According to the poll, three-quarters of Democrats believe the evidence of a warming planet is solid, and nearly half believe that the problem is serious, far fewer conservative and moderate Democrats see the problem as severe. At the same time, 57 percent of Republicans say there is no solid evidence of global warming, up from 31 percent in early 2007. It appears that the climate deniers are just as staunchly sticking to their guns as in the case of health-care reform.
In general it seems that priority that people give to pollution and environmental concerns and a whole host of other issues is down because of the state of the economy and because of the focus on other things. The relentless lobbying efforts by the industry appear to have convinced quite a few gullible citizens, even though with some exceptions the vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is occurring and that the primary cause is a buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal.
That said: despite misgivings about the science, half the respondents still say that they support limits on greenhouse gases, even if they could lead to higher energy prices. And 56 percent of Americans feel the United States should join other countries in setting standards to address global climate change.
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It’s too bad that this has become politicized because the truth probably lies in the middle. It is difficult to focus on something which appears nebulous. If the U.S. were hit by a tsunami, then I suppose the tune would change. I have no doubt that there is global-warming. Other issues like the economy and health care seem to be wrapping around us like woolly gloves. We want to get them off and move on.
Cher, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, like a lot of things, but isn’t it strange how some people are unable, or unwilling to change their views, even when pretty good evidence is presented?
Honestly, Politicus, I cannot recall a time when people were so implacable. It is more than worrisome; it borders on frightening. Many of these individuals would be considered of relatively high intellect, but emotion seems to rule the day and thought processes are diminishing.
Cher, it almost seems that some people value gaining, or keeping power above everything else. Pretty sickening, I think.
It is that old canard of power corrupting and absolute power corrupting absolutely. Power for the sake of power has been the ruin of many nations historically. I suppose we have not learned from history, otherwise we would not be repeating it.
Isn’t that the sad truth?
I promise not to belabor this point, but Pittsburgh has been selected to host World Environment Day June 5, 2010. Nations attending include North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Pacific, West Asia and Europe. If global warming does not exist and there are no “real” concerns about the environment, why do these countries gather to address such issues? I mean, we are not talking about Vegas here, so it is not about swilling and partying. We live in Pittsburgh, so we are happy about this, but care more about an out-come based agenda, which this is designed to accomplish.
I agree, they won’t be there just to party, which most conventions seem to be designed for. The problem is very real, despite what the naysayers might be saying.
Good deal time to worry about real problems.
Harrison, I assume that you are defining real problems as short-term issues, such as “will I have a job?, or will I be able to pay my bills?, or should I buy a new car?, or will it be Barbados this year, or Jamaica? or should I vote for Joe Blow, or Pete Smith?”
Unlike our knee jerk reaction, short-term foreign policy and issues such as the ones mentioned above, we should finally wake up and also start some longer-term planning and thinking. The global warming problems happen to belong in that last category.
No actually I wasn’t assuming that. Hope you know Cantonese. Mandarin is good but won’t be as useful in the future.
Are you suggesting Harrison that the Guangdong Province is going to take over the rest of China?
Why stop with Guangdong? Maybe Peoria next at the rate we’re going.
They can have Peoria as far as I am concerned