They should redo the poll now after people have a chance to read the latest article in Nature, where even Trenberth conceded natural cycles are playing a big role, big enough to override the posited global CO2 control knob for climate. Of course we all know from past experience that these polls by Leiserowitz and Mailbach have been biased by their methodology, so even seeing this admission about their data is encouraging.
For Immediate Release – Contact: Anthony Leiserowitz, 203-432-4865
ABOUT 1 IN 4 AMERICANS SAY GLOBAL WARMING IS NOT HAPPENING
HALF SAY THEY ARE “WORRIED” ABOUT IT
January 15, 2014 – (New Haven, CT) A national survey conducted in the final months of 2013 finds that there has been an increase in the proportion of Americans who believe global warming is not happening (23%, up 7 percentage points since April 2013). But about two in three Americans (63%) believe global warming is happening, a number that has been consistent since spring 2013. The proportion of Americans who say they “don’t know” whether or not global warming is happening has dropped 6 points – from 20% to 14% – since spring of 2013.
On other measures, the survey found that public awareness over the past year has remained essentially stable:
- About half of Americans (51%) say they are “somewhat” (38%) or “very worried” (15%) about global warming.
- Fewer than half of Americans (38%) believe they personally will be harmed a “moderate amount” or a “great deal” by global warming. By contrast, majorities believe that global warming will harm future generations of people (65%) and plant and animal species (65%).
“Our findings show that the public’s understanding of global warming’s reality, causes, and risks has not improved and has, in at least one important respect, gone in the wrong direction over the past year,” said researcher Ed Maibach, PhD, of George Mason University. “Better public communication about global warming is needed now more than ever.”
The survey also found that Americans (59%) are “interested” in global warming.
Moreover, about four in 10 say they feel “helpless” (43%), “disgusted” (42%), or “sad” (40%) when thinking about global warming. By contrast, four in ten (42%), say they feel “hopeful” about the subject.
“Global warming stirs a number of emotions among Americans,” said lead researcher Anthony Leiserowitz, PhD, of Yale University. “But these emotions differ greatly across ‘Global Warming’s Six Americas’. For example, other than saying they feel ‘interested,’ the ‘Alarmed’ are mostly afraid, sad, and angry about global warming, while the ‘Dismissive’ are mostly disgusted and angry. These different emotional responses are clearly fueling the debate.”
These findings come from a nationally representative survey – Climate Change in the American Mind – conducted by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. Interview dates: November 23-December 9, 2013. Interviews: 830 Adults (18+). Total average margin of error: +/- 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The research Energy Foundation, the 11th Hour Project, the Grantham Foundation, and the V.K. Rasmussen Foundation funded the research.
In addition to Dr. Leiserowitz, principal investigators included Geoff Feinberg, Dr. Seth Rosenthal, and Dr. Jennifer Marlon of Yale University and Drs. Edward Maibach and Connie Roser-Renouf of George Mason University.
For questions about the survey or to speak with the principal investigators:
Anthony Leiserowitz, 203-432-4865, anthony.leiserowitz@yale.edu
Edward Maibach, 703-993-1587, emaibach@gmu.edu
Lynsy Smithson Stanley, 646-559-8284, lsmithsonstanley@climatenexus.org
For more information, please go to:
http://environment.yale.edu/climate-communication/article/Climate-Beliefs-November-2013
M. Nichopolis says: @ur momisugly January 16, 2014 at 8:44 am
“Global warming stirs a number of emotions among Americans,” said lead researcher Anthony Leiserowitz, PhD, of Yale University. “But these emotions differ greatly across ‘Global Warming’s Six Americas’.
The “Six Americas”? ….
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And here I always thought there were only two. The east and west coasts and “Fly over Country”
Poll is wrong: Americans in flyover states are Ork-like creatures with low foreheads and torsos pumped full of custard (A journalist’s opinion and no doubt the opinion of those in D.C.)
BTW, Yale is a hollow image of its former self and informed parents are discovering that ahead of time for college choice.
As throughout history, the bosses fear the masses and they use fear to divert them. A climate apocalypse makes for a potent hobgoblin.
As with most political polls, this poll is used to gauge whether the public is getting the political message. It appears that the propaganda is still working as only 25% know the truth that there is currently no global warming.
OK I just took their Six Americas Quiz (Geez, John Edwards only divided us into Two Americas). I rated as Dismissive with a little downward pointing arrow graphic to emphasize how poorly I did. I noticed several problems with the quiz, starting with their definition of Global Warming as any rise in global temperature over the last 150 years. Only if you disagree that GW is happening are several extra questions asked. Another question on concern over GW went from “Very High” to “Low”, not “Very Low” as you might expect an unbiased poll would ask. You are asked what the Government ought to do, but none of the options was rescinding previous actions or backing away from Governmental activism. There is a definite bias in the poll that assumes GW is real, a threat, and that only Government intervention will prevent a catastrophe. I think at WUWT folks should take the quiz to unbend the bias.
Sorry, my last sentence should read “I think that all WUWT folks should take the quiz to unbend the bias.”
Who ya gonna believe? Al Gore or your own lyin eyes? Anyone with eyes and two neurons to rub together and a memory longer than a few nanoseconds can look around, consult their own memories and tell that NOTHING has happened and that climate/weather is NOT more extreme. Why there are still those that are determined that we’re all going to roast in a therageddon is one of the great mysteries of the Universe. Total maroons!
All we need are a few more winters from hell, like this current one – the winter of 2013-14 – and the poll numbers will continue to go in the “wrong direction.” What was it that Judge Judy said? “Don’t pee on my shoes and tell me it’s raining.”
Of course GW is ‘out with Americans’, most of us are trying to keep our bills paid, nearly on time, and food on the table. Whether a few tenths of a degree go up or down this year, next year, or the next few, matters little if you can’t feed your family, drive to work, or keep the lights on.
“the public’s understanding of global warming’s reality, causes, and risks has not improved ”
Dr. Maibach needs to be reminded that one of the most common forms of bias in statistical studies involves the existence of preconceived ideas about what the answer ‘should be’. This can often cause the survey questions posed to be posed as ‘loaded’ statements.
“..public’s understanding of global warming’s reality, causes, and risks has not improved and has, in at least one important respect, gone in the wrong direction over the past year,”
What is this kind of language doing in a survey? The proper, independent interpretation is just the opposite: the tide is turning away from CAGW. Maybe offer a reason: we are in the 17th year without warming and even the most stalwart among the theorists is at a loss for an explanation other than natural variability is trumping it. Why do sociologists and psychologists feel the need to take such a strong partisan position? I suppose it is because their “sciences” are totally broken and corrupted.
These poll results confirm that 3 out of four Americans think paleoclimate is yeseterday’s high temperature.
“Global warming refers to the idea that the world’s average temperature has been increasing over the past 150 years, may be increasing more in the future, and that the world’s climate may change as a result.”
This is a deliberate conflation of fact with fantasy on their part. Pretty much SOP with them, from the look of it. Hardly anyone denies that there has been a warmup since the LIA. Their dishonesty beggars belief.
Let me fix that for ya.
That’s better. Global warming has grinded to a halt.
That’s me!
The authors should have asked if people think that global warming is STILL happening. Then the “no”s might be substantially higher still.
They need to add a question.
Which do you think is longer:
a) the list of things the models have gotten wrong? Or
b) the list of reasons being used to explain why the models or wrong?
Took the quiz, and it seems I’m in the “doubtful” group. I suppose I should give them credit for not using the term “Climate Change” and allowing for a belief in Global Warming to be properly qualified as being caused by natural occurrences (though if you chose differently with the initial question, I don’t know if you had that option later). However, it would have been nice if the question concerning attempts at controlling Global Warming had an option something like – “we might be able to do something about it, but shouldn’t” (cost benefit ratio, etc.).
Kevin Schurig says: @ur momisugly January 16, 2014 at 9:37 am
I seem to recall that when asked to rank their concerns, respondants tended to rank AGW just below worrying whether or not their garbage was going to be picked up….
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
In this poll Climate was not even mentioned. Poll: Americans have little faith in government “The survey was conducted by GfK using KnowledgePanel, a probability-based Internet panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population”
So that makes three different polling companies all coming up with the same answer. Americans think D.C. stinks.
As far as CAGW is concerned Global warming no longer Americans’ top environmental concern, poll finds (July 2012)
Looks like CAGW is now a dead horse, so watch for water to be the next ‘Crisis” Remember the Greens have been working hard to kill dam projects and to dismantle older dams. Of more interest is Maude Barlow, a director of Organic Consumers Assoc and Food & Water Watch who worked in favor of the UN/World Trade Organization’s Food ‘Safety’ bill that passed in 2009. She was rewarded for her work with an appointment as New Senior Advisor to the UN president on October 21, 2008. Barlow made sure that both organizations were not used to oppose the bill and wiped out any real grass roots opposition by confusing those concerned by the bill.
I found out most people are followers not thinkers and would get Yes, But Organic Consumers says the bill is O.K.
See: Trojan Horse Law: The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 for a lawyers analysis of the bill.
Note Privatization of Water Services in the USA Authors, Committee on Privatization of Water Services in the United States, National Research Council
Took the quiz, garnering a “dismissive” label. Better than the other “D” word I suppose, though I’d prefer “disdainful”.
Mumble McGuirk says:
January 16, 2014 at 10:19 am
OK I just took their Six Americas Quiz (Geez, John Edwards only divided us into Two Americas). I rated as Dismissive with a little downward pointing arrow graphic to emphasize how poorly I did.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I did too. Boy did they have the Demographics wrong! I am not a religious white male republican. Four out of four wrong, way to go!
As you said the poll was ‘Shaped’ to get the answers they wanted. I hope I thoroughly screwed them up!
But of course, and more funding. Just read the tripe he has published, a relentless barage of garbage and propaganda. What does Ed really want to understand about ‘climate change’ and its causes?
The last time I checked scientists were supposed to refrain from value judgments. Have I missed a major paradigm shift in epistemology?
Nothing surprises me about the agnotology and ignorance of humans, any more. In spite of the mountain of evidence and a string of new findings of new links to homo sapiens, the number of Republicans who think humans look exactly as they do, today, from the beginning of the earth only 6000 years ago JUMPED from 39% to 48% since only 2009! Humans will believe anything they are told about any subject by the “experts” in any field. I’m surprised more of them aren’t terrified to have telephone and AC power wired into their homes, Amish style.
http://www.mediaite.com/online/republicans-growing-more-dismissive-of-evolution-pew-poll-finds/
Oops…here’s a link to the Pew poll graphs….
And you know they all drive cars, use electricity, heat/cool their homes, etc….