Public opinion on climate change: Difference between revisions
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this website is in no wise an appropriate encyclopedic source; there absolutely MUST be better sources for this rather obvious statement |
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The BBC published results from a world poll in December 2009. Comparing 23 countries few individuals directly opposed a climate deal. The United States and China were more ambivalent. While China are the most likely to support government investments, the United States diving where 46% believe the government should show leadership, 36% prefer a moderate approach, and 14% directly oppose any deal. Both countries were least likely to feel that global warming is a serious concern.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.globescan.com/news_archives/bbc2009_climate_change/|title=Climate Concerns Continue to Increase: Global Poll|author=BBC World Service|date=07 Dec 2009|publisher=GlobeScan & BBC World Service|location=London|accessdate=22 Dec 2009}}</ref> |
The BBC published results from a world poll in December 2009. Comparing 23 countries few individuals directly opposed a climate deal. The United States and China were more ambivalent. While China are the most likely to support government investments, the United States diving where 46% believe the government should show leadership, 36% prefer a moderate approach, and 14% directly oppose any deal. Both countries were least likely to feel that global warming is a serious concern.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.globescan.com/news_archives/bbc2009_climate_change/|title=Climate Concerns Continue to Increase: Global Poll|author=BBC World Service|date=07 Dec 2009|publisher=GlobeScan & BBC World Service|location=London|accessdate=22 Dec 2009}}</ref> |
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In the western world, different levels of engagement exists between Europe and United States. While Europe debates the appropriate responses the United States debates whether climate change is happening. |
In the western world, different levels of engagement exists between Europe and United States. While Europe debates the appropriate responses the United States debates whether climate change is happening. |
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In May 2008, Gallup found a strong [[Partisan (political)|partisan]] division on climate change, but that most Americans polled did not think that global warming will pose a serious threat to them or their lifestyles in their lifetime.<ref name="Dunlap2008PartisanGap">{{Cite web|first=Riley E.|last=Dunlap|title=Partisan Gap on Global Warming Grows|url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/107593/partisan-gap-global-warming-grows.aspx|publisher=Gallup|date=29 May 2008|accessdate=17 Dec 2009}}</ref> |
In May 2008, Gallup found a strong [[Partisan (political)|partisan]] division on climate change, but that most Americans polled did not think that global warming will pose a serious threat to them or their lifestyles in their lifetime.<ref name="Dunlap2008PartisanGap">{{Cite web|first=Riley E.|last=Dunlap|title=Partisan Gap on Global Warming Grows|url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/107593/partisan-gap-global-warming-grows.aspx|publisher=Gallup|date=29 May 2008|accessdate=17 Dec 2009}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 18:51, 28 December 2009
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.
Variations by individual circumstances
Regional
In 2007–2008 Gallup Polls surveyed 128 countries. Opinions vary worldwide, however, for an individual to hold an opinion often entails that the individual be aware of the issue first. 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, 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.[1]
A 2009 Eurobarometer survey titled "Europeans' Attitude Toward Climate Change" notes 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 "very serious" or "serious" problem, while 10% "do not consider it a serious problem." The question of whether global warming is actually occurring is not questioned in the poll, and human impact on climate change is not covered. Slightly less than one-third of Europeans "believe the seriousness of climate change has been exaggerated." Several "socio-demographic themes" were noted as a result of the survey; factors such as length of education, financial position, age, and use of the Internet affect Europeans' opinions on climate change. The report summarizes European views by stating that "the majority believe climate change is a serious issue, and support greater action from all levels of society in the fight against climate change.[2]
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. 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.[3]
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 percieved 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 percieving global warming as a threat than those who are not educated.[4]
Socio-economic status
In countries varying in awareness, individuals in Urban areas are likewise reported know something or a great deal about climate change. In China, 77% of those who live in urban areas are aware as to 52% in rural areas, trends are mirrored in India with 49% to 29%.[4]
Of those countries where at least half the population are aware of global warming, those those with the greatest proportion believing that global warming is a human activities likewise spend more on energy.[5]
Political identification
In the United States, historically support for environmental protection have been relatively non-partisan where Theodore Roosevelt establishing national parks and Franklin Delano Roosevelt establishing the Soil Conservation Service. This non-partisanship began to change during the 1980s when the Reagan administration stated that environmental protection was an economic burden. Views over Global warming began to seriously diverge among Democrats and Republicans during Kyoto in 1998. Gaps in opinions among the general public are often amplified among the political elites, such as members of Congress, who tend to be more polarized.[6]
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.[7] 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.[8]
Variation by issue
Science
Despite objections from individual scientists, a scientific consensus exists recognized by national academies of science and other authoritative bodies.[9] The conclusion are that there has been an increase global temperatures from the mid-twentieth century to the present, the current change can largely be attributed to the release of greenhouse gases,[10] 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.[11][12] Studies such as surveys of climatologists and reviews of abstracts from scientific journals have found little controversy over these conclusions within the scientific community.[13][14]
In the interest of "balance" the popular media in the U.S. give 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.[15] This coverage differs from that presented in other countries.[16] Despite the difference, and while individuals themselves may hold a different opinion, over the past ten years there has been an increase in the proportion of Americans who believe that scientists believe that global warming is occurring, even across political lines where a gap remains.[6]
Economics
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
The BBC published results from a world poll in December 2009. Comparing 23 countries few individuals directly opposed a climate deal. The United States and China were more ambivalent. While China are the most likely to support government investments, the United States diving where 46% believe the government should show leadership, 36% prefer a moderate approach, and 14% directly oppose any deal. Both countries were least likely to feel that global warming is a serious concern.[17]
In the western world, different levels of engagement exists between Europe and United States. While Europe debates the appropriate responses the United States debates whether climate change is happening.
In May 2008, Gallup found a strong partisan division on climate change, but that most Americans polled did not think that global warming will pose a serious threat to them or their lifestyles in their lifetime.[18]
References
- ^ Pelham, Brett (22 Apr 2009). "Awareness, Opinions About Global Warming Vary Worldwide". Gallup. Retrieved 22 Dec 2009.
- ^ TNS Opinion and Social 2009, pp. 5, 16, 38, 87
- ^ Pugliese, Anita; Ray, Julie (11 Dec 2009). "Awareness of Climate Change and Threat Vary by Region". Gallup. Retrieved 22 Dec 2009.
- ^ a b c Pugliese, Anita; Ray, Julie (7 Dec 2009). "Top-Emitting Countries Differ on Climate Change Threat". Gallup. Retrieved 22 Dec 2009.
- ^ Pelham, Brett W. (24 Apr 2009). "Views on Global Warming Relate to Energy Efficiency". Gallup. Retrieved 22 Dec 2009.
- ^ a b Dunlap, Riley E. (29 May 2009). "Climate-Change Views: Republican-Democratic Gaps Expand". Gallup. Retrieved 22 Dec 2009.
- ^ Saad, Lydia (26 Jun 2009). "Conservatives Maintain Edge as Top Ideological Group". Gallup. Retrieved 22 Dec 2009.
- ^ Saad, Lydia (11 Apr 2009). "Increased Number Think Global Warming Is "Exaggerated"". Gallup. Retrieved 22 Dec 2009.
- ^ Joint Science Academies (2005). "Joint science academies' statement: Global response to climate change" (Full free text). National Academies of Sciences. Retrieved 2009-12-22.
- ^
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=|chapterurl=ignored (|chapter-url=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - ^
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.
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|doi=10.1108/01443330310790327instead. - ^ BBC World Service (07 Dec 2009). "Climate Concerns Continue to Increase: Global Poll". London: GlobeScan & BBC World Service. Retrieved 22 Dec 2009.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Dunlap, Riley E. (29 May 2008). "Partisan Gap on Global Warming Grows". Gallup. Retrieved 17 Dec 2009.
Bibliography
- TNS Opinion and Social (2009). "Europeans' Attitudes Towards Climate Change" (Full free text). European Commission. Retrieved 24 Dec 2009.
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