The latest national survey around peoples' beliefs and attitudes around climate change is out (May 2011). The Center for Climate Change Communications at the George Mason University and Yale Project on Climate Change Communication annually publishes a global warming report. This year there will be four separate reports released. There are no dramatic changes from the 2010 survey. Public understanding of and engagement in climate change issues remains lower than it was in 2008.
Here is a report summary: 1) Public believing global warming is happening rose 3% to 64; 2) It is believed to be caused by human activities dropped three points to 47%; 3) Americans who worry about global warming did not change at 52%; 4) Americans who are personally concerned about global warming dropped 3% to 60. Further, the public believes that only 39% of scientists think global warming is happening and 40% of the public believe there is a lot of disagreement among scientists. On the other hand 81-100% of climate scientist believe in global warming.
Half of our citizens say that global warming is already causing or making the following events worse: 1) coastline erosion and flooding (52%); 2) droughts (50%); 3) hurricanes (49%); 4) rivers flooding (48%); and 5) wildfires (45%). This report further suggests that decline in media reporting reduces public awareness and commentary around global warming. More than half of Americans want more information about global warming, up 5% from 2010.
Overall levels of trust as sources of information remain high for scientists (76%) and for federal agencies that deal with climate change, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, 76%); the National Park Service (73%); the Center for Disease Control (69%); the Environmental Protection Agency (62%); and the Department of Energy (59%). My firm works with NOAA to provide coastal managers tools and services to deal with climate change issues such as sea water rise and inundation, soil erosion, and salination of rivers caused by rising sea water.
View the full report: Americans' Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in May 2011
© Baldwin H. Tom CMC
www.tbgroupconsultants.com
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