Tom Nelson noted yesterday that, according to American Climate Values Survey (which you can find right there on the the Nature Conservancy website!) only 18 percent of Americans believe climate change is real, caused by humans, and harmful.
Americans are sharply divided in their beliefs about whether climate change is real, according to a new study commissioned by The Nature Conservancy and other leading conservation and climate action groups.
The study – the American Climate Values Survey (ACVS), conducted by the consulting group EcoAmerica – also found that only 18 percent of survey respondents strongly believe that climate change is real, human-caused and harmful. It also found that political party affiliation is the single largest indicator as to whether people see climate change as a threat.…
Nature.org: Your survey also found that only 18 percent of respondents strongly believe that global warming is real, caused by humans and is harmful. Should we be discouraged by these findings? Do they mean that conservation groups have an uphill battle in educating the public about climate change?
Lee Bodner: That 18 percent represents the “base” of a growing movement to fight global warming.
<a href="http://wattsupwiththat.com/2008/10/27/ecoamerica-poll-climate-skeptics-are-the-majority-not-the-minority/-3857″>Anthony Watts notes 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.