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| U.S. GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT | Public Opinion and Climate Change | ||
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U.S. Public Opinion and Climate Change A recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center explores American attitudes on one of the world's most pressing concerns: climate change. The study shows that the general public recognizes that the world's temperature is increasing, but Americans disagree on what is causing these temperature changes. While there is difference of opinion, Americans do believe that the problem is solvable. More than 70 percent of the American public believes that there is strong evidence that the Earth's temperature is increasing. This awareness has translated into moderate concern over climate change; 41 percent consider climate change a very serious problem and 33 percent consider it somewhat pressing. Less than 25 percent do not see climate change as either pressing or a problem at all. Climate change does not, however, register as one of the highest priorities on the public's agenda. When asked to rank 19 issues on the basis of priority, global warming ranked second to last. This lukewarm concern is consistent with other recent polls, including last month's Pew Global Attitudes survey. While there is moderate concern and overall awareness about the problem, the poll reveals that there is public disagreement over the causes of climate change. A plurality of the public (41 percent) believes that climate change is caused by human activity. On the other hand, 21 percent of the public believes that climate change is due to natural causes and another 8 percent is unsure of the causes. An overwhelming majority (80 percent) of those that recognize that humans contribute to climate change believes that the effects can be reduced and reversed. Of those who believe that climate change is occurring, 39 percent say that the public will have to sacrifice a lot to combat the problem, and 23 percent believe that technology can solve the problem. With the U.S. contributing 25 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions of the world, it is critical that the awareness and concern about climate change be translated into political resolve. The public recognizes that solutions exist to this global problem. These solutions must be comprehensive and collaborative in order to leave a safe and cleaner world for future generations.
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