Global warming perceptions by states: More Americans accept fault

[DonViejo]

These numbers show the next big front in the climate change fight.

April 25, 2021, 9:11 AM EDT
By Dante Chinni

WASHINGTON — It's been more than 50 years since the words "Earth Day" entered our environmental lexicon and in the wake of this year's holiday, Data Download looks at changes in thoughts and attitudes around climate change in the last few years.

Polling data show there is an increasing understanding that humans do, in fact, play a large role in earth's changing environment — but sharp political divides and challenges to action still remain. Survey data from the Yale Program on Climate Communication tells a story of change and state level differences.

Back in 2014, the program looked at a series of questions around climate change including whether people believed "global warming is mostly caused by human activities."

Only about 48 percent of Americans believe that statement to be true. And at the state level, the idea got 50 percent or more support in only 18 states.

more
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/global-warming-perceptions-states-more-americans-accept-fault-n1265213

[-misanthroptimist]

1. The number of people that pretend...

...the problem doesn't exist because they don't like the solutions is disheartening.

[Kaleva]

5. The solution is to reduce current emissions to zero and reduce what's all ready in the atmosphere

As there is almost no support for that, the best people can do is to prepare to adapt as best they can.

[-misanthroptimist]

13. I suppose that dying and societal collapse are forms of adaptation.

Last edited Mon Apr 26, 2021, 08:15 AM - Edit history (1)

They'll like the requirements of adaptation a lot less than what's currently on the table.

[Kaleva]

14. People who aren't preparing to adapt now may well die.

The effects of climate change around the world will not be uniform. While some areas will become less hospitable for human habitation, others will become more hospitable.

[-misanthroptimist]

15. A bit of irony in all of this

It's really the weather that will cause most of the problems. A six-sigma weather anomaly can make a "habitable" area considerably less so for a while.

[Kaleva]

16. The anomaly can have the opposite effect too.

which is why it's important to prepare so one can ride out the anomalies.

[-misanthroptimist]

17. Pretty unlikely that an anomaly is going to make some place habitable...

...if it wasn't habitable before -for a variety of reasons. Even so, one would have to get from the now uninhabitable place to the newly habitable place. One would not be alone in that struggle. One might (and probably would) encounter opposition.

Summing up: Adaptation is going to be very, very difficult the longer we wait to address the issue.

[John Ludi]

2. A significant

percentage of people will continue to be in denial even when they start dying in droves from lethal wet bulb temperatures.

[LastDemocratInSC]

11. The wet bulb temperature issue is huge.

And I think most Americans are oblivious to the dangers it presents.

[John Ludi]

12. A vulnerable electrical grid

is all that protects people in certain areas from extreme heat during the summer as it is...when the grid in those areas is taxed by that extreme heat. It's a pretty nasty Catch-22. Imagine FL in July or August with an extended blackout if the median temps get higher than they are now.

[Ron Green]

3. Ha! Look at DU.

Compare the number of responses to any climate post, including this one, to ones about personal animosity between famous people.

[CousinIT]

9. No kidding. Most posts about environment or climate change issues or solutions go ignored. n/t

[mopinko]

4. hey florida. it is coming for you.

i do not understand how people are still moving to fl. investing money in a piece of earth that will be under the sea in your lifetime is not smart.
2 of my sisters have been there for about 10 yrs. for them, i get it. they're lifetime is mostly behind them. and they're up in the central part. but my nephew just moved there.
he's not young either, but i presume he hopes his daughters will cash in on that investment at some point.
course, he moved there from d.c. but sheesh ppl.

[Kaleva]

6. One would think that people would be leaving places like Florida and the arid Southwest in droves.

At least the people who say they believe climate change is a serious issue.

But you don't see that happening.

[mopinko]

7. my nephew knows very well.

he's just retired from the pentagon.

[marie999]

10. Many of the people moving to Florida are senior citizens.

They move into condo complexes also known as "God's waiting room".

[Solly Mack]

8. K&R