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==External links==
*[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-are-americans-so-ill Why Are Americans So Ill-Informed about Climate Change?]


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==

Revision as of 01:16, 7 March 2011

Public opinion on climate change is the aggregate of attitudes or beliefs held by the adult population concerning the science, economics, and politics of global warming. It is affected by media coverage of climate change.

Individuals

Regional

For a list of countries and their opinion, see Climate change opinion by country
United States, Europe, and Australia are the darkest while Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania are the lightest.
Proportion reporting "something" or a "great deal" about global warming. Darker areas indicate a greater proportion of individuals aware, yellow indicates no data.
Latin America and Japan are the darkest while the remainder are either much lighter or mixed.
Proportion responding yes when asked, "Temperature rise is part of global warming or climate change. Do you think rising temperatures are [...] a result of human activities?"
The Americas, Europe, Australia, Kenya and Japan are the darkest. The remainder much lighter.
Proportion responding that global warming is a serious personal threat

A 2007–2008 Gallup Poll surveyed individuals in 128 countries. This poll queried whether the respondent knew of global warming and, for those who were aware of the issue, whether or not they thought it was human-induced. Over a third of the world's population were unaware of global warming, with developing countries less aware than developed, and Africa the least aware. Of those aware, residents of Latin America and developed countries in Asia lead the belief that climate change is a result of human activities while Africa, parts of Asia and the Middle East, and a few countries from the Former Soviet Union lead in the opposite. Opinion within the United States and the United Kingdom is divided.[1]

Adults in Asia, with the exception of those in developed countries, are the least likely to perceive global warming as a threat. In the western world, individuals are the most likely to be aware and perceive it as a very or somewhat serious threat to themselves and their families;[2] although Europeans are more concerned about climate change than those in the United States.[3] However, the public in Africa, where individuals are the most vulnerable to global warming while producing the least carbon dioxide, is the least aware-which likewise translates to a low perception that it is a threat.[2]

These variations pose a challenge to policymakers, as different countries travel down different paths, making an agreement over an appropriate response difficult. While Africa may be the most vulnerable and produce the least greenhouse gases, they are the most ambivalent. The top five emitters (China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan), who together emit half the world's greenhouse gases, vary in both awareness and concern. The United States, Russia, and Japan are the most aware at over 85% of the population. Conversely, only two-thirds of China and one-third of India are aware. Japan expresses the greatest concern, which likewise translates to support for environmental policies. China, Russia, and the United States, while varying in awareness, have expressed a similar proportion of aware individuals concerned. Similarly, those aware in India are likely to be concerned, however India faces challenges translating this concern to the remaining population as its energy needs increase over the next decade.[4]

Education

In countries varying in awareness, an educational gap likewise translates to a gap in awareness. However an increase in awareness does not always result in an increase in perceived threat. In China, 98% of those who have completed four years or more of college education reported knowing something or a great deal of climate change while only 63% of those who have completed nine years of education reported the same. Despite the differences in awareness in China, all groups perceive a low level of threat from global warming. In India those who are educated are likewise more likely to be aware, however those who are educated there are far more likely to report perceiving global warming as a threat than those who are not educated.[4]

In Europe, individuals who have attained a higher level of education likewise perceive climate change as a serious threat. There is also a strong association between education and Internet use. Europeans who use the Internet more are more likely to perceive climate change as a serious threat.[5]

Demographics

Residential demographics affect perceptions of global warming. In China, 77% of those who live in urban areas are aware of global warming compared to 52% in rural areas. This trends is mirrored in India with 49% to 29% awareness, respectively.[4]

Of those countries where at least half the population are aware of global warming, those with the greatest proportion believing that global warming is due to human activities likewise spend more on energy.[6]

In Europe, individuals under fifty-five are more likely to perceive both "poverty, lack of food and drinking water" and climate change as a serious threat than individuals over fifty-five. Male individuals are more likely to perceive climate change as a threat than female individuals. Managers, white collar workers, and students are more likely to perceive climate change as a greater threat than house persons and retired individuals.[5]

Political identification

In the United States, support for environmental protection has been relatively non-partisan in the past. Republican Theodore Roosevelt established national parks whereas Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt established the Soil Conservation Service. This non-partisanship began to change during the 1980s when the Reagan administration described environmental protection as an economic burden. Views over global warming began to seriously diverge between Democrats and Republicans during the negotiations that led up to the creation of the Kyoto Protocol in 1998. In a 2008 Gallup poll of the American public, 76% of Democrats and only 41% of Republicans said that they believed global warming was already happening. The gap between the opinions of the political elites, such as members of Congress, tends to be even more polarized.[7]

In Europe, opinion is not strongly divided among left and right parties. Although European political parties on the left, such as the Green parties, strongly support measures to address climate change, conservative European political parties maintain similar sentiments. For example, France's center-right President Chirac pushed key environmental and climate change policies in France in 2005–2007, and conservative German administrations (under the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Socialist Union) in the past two decades have supported European Union climate change initiatives. In the period after former President Bush announced that the United States was leaving the Kyoto Treaty, European media and newspapers on both the left and right criticized the move. The conservative Spanish La Razón, the Irish Times, Irish Independent, the Danish Berlingske Tidende, and the Greek Kathimerini all condemned the Bush administration's decision along with left-leaning newspapers.[8]

The shared sentiments between the political left and right on climate change further illustrate the divide in perception between the United States and Europe on climate change. As an example, conservative German Prime Ministers Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel have differed with other parties in Germany only on "how to meet emissions reduction targets, not whether or not to establish or fulfill them."[8]

Ideology

In the United States, ideology acts as an effective predictor of party identification, where conservatives are more prevalent among Republicans, and moderates and liberals among independents and Democrats. A shift in ideology is often associated with in a shift in political views.[9] For example, when the number of conservatives rose from 2008 to 2009, the number of individuals who viewed that Global warming is exaggerated in the media likewise rose.[10]

Issues

Science

See also: Scientific opinion on climate change

A scientific consensus on climate change exists, as recognized by national academies of science and other authoritative bodies.[11] The conclusions are that there has been an increase in global temperatures from the mid-twentieth century to the present, that the current change can largely be attributed to the release of greenhouse gases,[12] and that natural phenomena such as solar radiation and volcanism produced most of the warming from pre-industrial times to 1950 and had a small cooling effect afterward.[13][14] Despite objections from some individual scientists, studies such as surveys of climatologists and reviews of abstracts from scientific journals have found little controversy over these conclusions within the scientific community.[15][16] This level of agreement has not been communicated to the public as the opinion gap between scientists and the public in 2009 stands at 84% to 49% that global temperatures are increasing because of human-activity.[17]

In the interest of "balance," the popular media in the U.S. gives disproportionate attention to skeptics relative to the scientific community as a whole, and the level of agreement within the scientific community has not been accurately communicated within the United States.[18][19] This coverage differs from that presented in other countries, where press coverage is more consistent with the scientific literature.[20] Despite the difference, and while individuals themselves may hold a different opinion of their own, over the past ten years there has been an increase from less than half to over two-thirds of Americans who agree that most scientists believe global warming is occurring reaching a peak in 2008 where it then declined.[21]

Individual public awareness of human contributions to climate change in the 1990s was limited. Yet, even in the past decade, global misunderstandings continue to persist within the populace, regardless of the level of development or modernity of the host country.[22] Some journalists attribute the disproportionate coverage to climate change denial propagated by business-centered organizations,[23][24] which follow the pattern of the tobacco lobby from years earlier,[25] as well as to conservative commentators such as Rush Limbaugh who have contributed to the Republican Party's highly skeptical view.[7] The efforts of Al Gore and other environmental campaigns have focused on the effects of global warming and have managed to increase awareness and concern. Yet, they have failed to convincingly communicate the causes of global warming or improve the perception of media bias.[26] Various factors contribute to this phenomenon, including the fact that only a third of Americans consider Al Gore an expert.[27] Others point to the problem that "many people were turned off by extremists on both sides."[28] The proportion of Americans believing that "global warming is exaggerated in the media" rose from 1998 to 2004, dropped from 2005 to 2007,[10] and continued to rise from then on.[21] 35% of Americans believe that it’s very likely some scientists have falsified research data to support their own theories and beliefs while 26% say not at all.[29]

Economics

See also: Economics of global warming

Economic debates weigh the benefits of limiting industrial emissions of mitigating global warming against the costs that such changes would entail. While there is a greater amount of agreement over whether global warming exists, there is less agreement over the appropriate response.

Politics

See also: Politics of global warming

Public opinion impacts on the issue of climate change because governments need willing electorates and citizens in order to implement policies that address climate change. Further, when climate change perceptions differ between the populace and governments, the communication of risk to the public becomes problematic. Finally, a public that is not aware of the issues surrounding climate change may resist or oppose climate change policies, which is of considerable importance to politicians and state leaders.[22]

A 2009 Eurobarometer survey found that, on the average, Europeans rate climate change as the second most serious problem facing the world today, between "poverty, the lack of food and drinking water" and "a major global economic downturn." 87% of Europeans consider climate change to be a "serious" or "very serious" problem, while 10% "do not consider it a serious problem." However, the proportion who believe it to be a problem has dropped in the period 2008/9 when the surveys were conducted.[30] While the small majority believe climate change is a serious threat, 55% percent believe the EU is doing too little and 30% believe the EU is going the right amount.[31] As a result of European Union climate change perceptions, "climate change is an issue that has reached such a level of social and political acceptability across the EU that it enables (indeed, forces) the EU Commission and national leaders to produce all sorts of measures, including taxes."[8]

The proportion of Americans who believe that the effects of global warming has begun or will begin in a few years rose to a peak in 2008 where it then declined, this trend likewise corresponds to the belief that global warming is a threat to their lifestyle within their life time.[21] Concern over global warming often corresponds with economic downturns and national crisis such as 9/11 as Americans prioritize the economy and national security over environmental concerns. However the drop in concern in 2008 is unique compared to other environmental issues.[10] Considered in the context of environmental issues, Americans consider global warming as a less critical concern than the pollution of rivers, lakes, and drinking water; toxic waste; fresh water needs; air pollution; damage to the ozone layer; and the loss of tropical rain forests. However, Americans prioritize global warming over species extinction and acid rain issues.[32] Since 2000 the partisan gap has grown as Republican and Democratic views diverge.[33]

References

  1. ^ Pelham, Brett (22 April 2009). "Awareness, Opinions About Global Warming Vary Worldwide". Gallup. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  2. ^ a b Pugliese, Anita; Ray, Julie (11 December 2009). "Awareness of Climate Change and Threat Vary by Region". Gallup. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  3. ^ Crampton, Thomas (1 January 2007). "More in Europe worry about climate than in U.S., poll shows - Health & Science - International Herald Tribune". New York Times. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
  4. ^ a b c Pugliese, Anita; Ray, Julie (7 December 2009). "Top-Emitting Countries Differ on Climate Change Threat". Gallup. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  5. ^ a b TNS Opinion and Social 2009, p. 13
  6. ^ Pelham, Brett W. (24 April 2009). "Views on Global Warming Relate to Energy Efficiency". Gallup. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  7. ^ a b Dunlap, Riley E. (29 May 2009). "Climate-Change Views: Republican-Democratic Gaps Expand". Gallup. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  8. ^ a b c Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1162/glep.2007.7.4.19, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1162/glep.2007.7.4.19 instead.
  9. ^ Saad, Lydia (26 June 2009). "Conservatives Maintain Edge as Top Ideological Group". Gallup. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  10. ^ a b c Saad, Lydia (11 April 2009). "Increased Number Think Global Warming Is "Exaggerated"". Gallup. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  11. ^ Joint Science Academies (2005). "Joint science academies' statement: Global response to climate change" (Full free text). National Academies of Sciences. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  12. ^ IPCC (2007). "Summary for Policymakers". In Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.) (ed.). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Full free text). Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press. {{cite book}}: |editor= has generic name (help); External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  13. ^ Hegerl, G.C., F. W. Zwiers, P. Braconnot, N.P. Gillett, Y. Luo, J.A. Marengo Orsini, N. Nicholls, J.E. Penner and P.A. Stott (2007). "Chapter 9: Understanding and Attributing Climate Change". In Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.) (ed.). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Full free text). Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press. Recent estimates indicate a relatively small combined effect of natural forcings on the global mean temperature evolution of the second half of the 20th century, with a small net cooling from the combined effects of solar and volcanic forcings. {{cite book}}: |editor= has generic name (help); External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1073/pnas.0605064103, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1073/pnas.0605064103 instead.
  15. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1029/2009EO030002, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1029/2009EO030002 instead.
  16. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1126/science.1103618, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1126/science.1103618 instead.
  17. ^ "Public Praises Science; Scientists Fault Public, Media" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 9 June 2009. pp. 5, 55. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  18. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2003.10.001, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2003.10.001 instead.
  19. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2005.08.003, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2005.08.003 instead.
  20. ^ Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1108/01443330310790327, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1108/01443330310790327 instead.
  21. ^ a b c Newport, Frank (11 March 2010). "Americans' Global Warming Concerns Continue to Drop". Gallup. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  22. ^ a b Attention: This template ({{cite doi}}) is deprecated. To cite the publication identified by doi:10.1007/s10584-006-9072-z, please use {{cite journal}} (if it was published in a bona fide academic journal, otherwise {{cite report}} with |doi=10.1007/s10584-006-9072-z instead.
  23. ^ Begley, Sharon (13 August 2007). "The Truth About Denial". Newsweek. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  24. ^ David, Adam (20 September 2006). "Royal Society tells Exxon: stop funding climate change denial". Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  25. ^ Sandell, Clayton (3 January 2007). "Report: Big Money Confusing Public on Global Warming". ABC News. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  26. ^ Saad, Lydia (21 March 2007). "Did Hollywood's Glare Heat Up Public Concern About Global Warming?". Gallup. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  27. ^ "47% Say Global Warming Very Serious Problem". Rasmussen Reports. 6 April 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2010.
  28. ^ Corcoran, Terence (6 January 2010). "The cool down in climate polls". National Post. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  29. ^ "Americans Skeptical of Science Behind Global Warming". Rasmussen Reports. 3 December 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  30. ^ TNS Opinion and Social 2009, p. 15
  31. ^ TNS Opinion and Social 2009, p. 21
  32. ^ Saad, Lydia (7 April 2006). "Americans Still Not Highly Concerned About Global Warming". Gallup. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  33. ^ Dunlap, Riley E. (29 May 2008). "Partisan Gap on Global Warming Grows". Gallup. Retrieved 17 December 2009.

Bibliography

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