Only 18 percent of survey respondents strongly believe that climate change is real, human-caused and harmful.
Yes you read that correctly, it is all in this article on the Nature Conservancy webpage. And that goes along with what was discovered in June this year by the newspapers UK Guardian and Observer, which reported that:
The majority of the British public is still not convinced that climate change is caused by humans – and many others believe scientists are exaggerating the problem…
The Nature Conservancy story citing 18 percent, is citing the American Climate Values Survey (ACVS), conducted by the consulting group EcoAmerica It also found that political party affiliation is the single largest indicator as to whether people see climate change as a threat.
It seems it is all political, as there are some other fascinating tidbits. For example:
- Convinced it’s happening: 54 percent of Republicans, 90 percent of Democrats.
- Think that weather has gotten more severe: 44 percent of Republicans; 77 percent of Democrats.
- Noticed the climate changing: 54 percent of Republicans; 84 percent of Democrats.
- Trust Al Gore when he talks about global warming: 22 percent of Republicans; 71 percent of Democrats.
- Trust environmentalists who talk about global warming: 38 percent of Republicans; 71 percent of Democrats.
- Trust anyone who talks about global warming: 39 percent of Republicans; 75 percent of Democrats.
h/t to Tom Nelson
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The new Deniers are those denying global cooling.
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That maybe because there is no manmade global warming. Unfortunately for the Brit’s they are in it now. Skyhigh electricity and gas prices and blackouts to come. Luckily we Canadians were not that stupid. We decimated the political party that dared to come to election with a carbon tax. However we still have these damn windmills forcing people out of their homes.
The partisen divide is most interesting and demonstrates what happens when political activists try to use to science as a club to silence critics who might agree that there is a potential issue but disagree on the appropriate economic and/or political response.
Looks like there is a small amount of hope, 29% of democrats didn’t believe Al.
Notice the use of the word ‘still.’
“The majority of the British public is still not convinced that climate change is caused by humans.”
That is: we need to do more!
We are the consensus!
On a darker note Eve, I do believe we Yanks are about to step into the black hole of change.
22% of the Republicans trust Al Gore???
The article goes on to spin the fact that the 18% are the “base” fighting AGW.
More about ecoAmerica, in their own words:
“ecoAmerica is a nonprofit agency that uses psychographic research, strategic partnerships and engagement marketing to shift awareness, attitudes and the personal and public policy behaviors of environmentally agnostic Americans.”
I’m not sure what “psychographic” means, or “environmentally agnostic,” but the whole thing smacks of pernicious propaganda perped by politically manipulative zealots.
Great Halloween story. Scares me!
What’s really funny to me is that most folks I know don’t really care much about climate change either way. They’re just going about their daily lives and not paying the AGW issue much attention.
This info has got to be highly frustrating to the warmistas who have spent such a huge amount of resources on increasing awareness.
NF3
The researchers found concentrations of the gas rose from about 0.02 parts per trillion in 1978 to 0.454 parts per trillion in 2008.
It would probably be lower if many skeptic reporters weren’t as inaccurate as the supporters.
Not surprising at all to any one who has looked into this the slightest bit.
It’s actually encouraging though. Although many probably don’t believe AGW is real for the wrong reasons (political), it will hold at bay those who do believe in AGW for the wrong reasons (also political) so in the end the science & the right answer for the right reason has a chance to succeed.
It is really a fascinating psychological observation. Why ? Fundamentally, the liberal psyche is a guilty psyche (IMHO) & the idea that mankind has caused all these problems plays right into it. Of course, the conservative psyche is an optimistic psyche (also IMHO) – which would play into the idea of there is no way humans could have a negative influence. This whole topic would make for an interesting thread outside of this one.
“18 percent of survey respondents strongly believe that climate change is real, human-caused and harmful.”
Now that IS scary… One in five are following the IPCC line. Those guys and gals are the cheerleaders. Not that many years ago no one even knew what climate change was.
We have a few of these people commenting on this blog, and some have really done their homework. Maybe someone should be doing skeptic workshops all over the world like Al Gore does.
“22% of the Republicans trust Al Gore???”
Didn’t John McCain just recently say he had a lot of respect for Al Gore?
Climate skeptics can’t win this election.
That explains this new article in TIME:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1853871,00.html
So now that it’s climate change they’re dumping the greenhouse and opting for an overflowing bathtub.
Quick, somebody call Joe the plumber!
Climate is non-partisan! This is not encouraging, especially considering the dismal level of science literacy among the general American public. By the way, what does belief have to do with it? Belief belongs in the realm of churches; data either support conclusions or they do not. No need to believe; I’ve always wondered how so many of you could be so certain, regardless of your “side”. It’s a big, complicated world out there.
Hopefully agnostic,
John D.
While I’m happy to know that there are more skeptics than the MSM likes to acknowledge, they are not doing anything to counter the madness that our representative government is trying to unleash on us.
With the bottom falling out in the election – there is going to be hell to pay wrt to this subject when it comes to policy and it’s effects on us, the voter, regardless of the fact the science is far from settled and even spurious.
Personally, that small vocal minorty who believes so fervently in AGW/ACC is more powerful more active than the lazy majority.
Well Democrat followers would suggest that Republicans are all ignorant. What is an answer to that ?
Just remember folks, no matter who wins the election in the USA, we have plenty of room here in Australia for the disenchanted! Every time there is an election in the USA, immigration enquiries for here soar (despite the language barrier!).
I did a poll of one. I guy in our office who believes that the Arctic is currently melting faster than ever before. He believes that the globe is warming. He isn’t sure about wind power but believes that solar power is good (never heard of NF3). He will vote Obama to help his 401k, IRA and fix AGW as well. Those are the facts, not very scientific but he does know about the solar minimum as I have convinced him that maybe it is real, but he thinks it is probably only a minor curiosity.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20081015_ncdcglobaltemps.html
/// NOAA: Ninth Warmest September for Global Temperatures
October 15, 2008
The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for September 2008 tied with September 2001 as the ninth warmest since records began in 1880, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
Temperature Highlights
* The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for September was 59.79 F — this is 0.79 degree F above the 20th century mean of 59.0 degrees F.
* Separately, the global land surface temperature was 54.50 F — this is 0.90 degree F above the 20th century mean of 53.6 degrees F, tying September 2004 as 11th warmest on record.
* The global ocean surface temperature of 61.86 F tied September 2001 as seventh warmest on record and was 0.76 degree F above the 20th century mean of 61.1 degrees F.
Global Highlights for September
* Arctic sea ice coverage during September was at its second lowest extent since satellite records began in 1979, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Average ice extent during September was 1.80 million square miles, which is 34 percent below the 1979-2000 average and is part of an 11.7 percent decline in extent per decade over the past 30 years. The record lowest extent, set in 2007 was 1.65 million square miles. ///
As with every survey, the wording of the question can influence the outcome. Those with a particular row to hoe have a tendency (consciously or subconsciously) to skew their question so as to increase the likelihood of the answer being what they want to hear.
Any survey from a partisan grouping is, therefore, particularly interesting when the result is the opposite of what they want to hear. It suggests to me that the numbers against their position are probably larger than their survey indicates because “question bias” has operated.
What fun.
Shhhh! They’ll start thumping their tubs even louder.
Unfortunately, although the majority of the British may not believe in AGW, 99% (or that’s what it seems like) of the people who rule our lives do. That’s why we are extracting (covertly) £1 bn each year from electricity bills to subsidise windfarms in order to comply with stupid and hypocritical EU tagets. That’s why we have a climate change bill before parliament. That’s why you we have stupid politicians talking about a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions and that’s why the useless BBC does not deserve its £3 bn poll tax.
Enough venting. Apologies.
Paul
John D.,
Belief has everything to do with it. Belief comes before everything else. For instance, you believe your senses are reliable. You believe that data either supports the conclusions or it does not. It is true that believing or not believing will not change what happens in reality. For instance, I could strongly disbelieve it will rain at the World Series game tonight because I might believe it is the Phils destiny to win the World Series without having to go back to Tampa. But that would not change, no matter how strongly I believed, whether it was actually going to rain or not. But belief does determine behavior. For example, if you are strongly convinced that humans are causing global warming, you might deface the stacks of a power plant to protest that. Furthermore, you might also testify on behalf of defendants who did that, stating that they had reasonable justification for their actions because they are fighting for something larger – to save the world. Data is data, but you have to believe it is reliable – or have a reason if you think it is not. Belief is everywhere. To believe is to be human. What you believe in is your own choice, but you must believe in something. Believe me or not.