Weather Drives American Public’s Climate Concern
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2013
As Earth Day approaches (Monday 22 April), a GlobeScan poll of American public opinion has found that Superstorm Sandy last October appears to have increased the perceived seriousness of climate change, much as Hurricane Katrina affected public opinion seven years ago.
GlobeScan surveyed a representative sample of 1,000 Americans by telephone last month (March 2013) and found the percentage of Americans rating climate as “very serious” increased from 39 percent (in 2011) to 44 percent today (a 5 point increase). A total of 73 percent of Americans now say climate change is a serious concern (very or somewhat).
GlobeScan Chairman Doug Miller comments: “Violent weather seems to speak to Americans when it comes to their climate concerns, but perhaps in a diminishing way. While Superstorm Sandy seems to have increased the perceived seriousness of climate change in the minds of Americans, it doesn’t appear to have had as much effect as Hurricane Katrina did (with its greater loss of life). The current convergence of U.S. and global opinion on climate has more to do with global concern dropping significantly since the failed Copenhagen Climate Summit in December 2009.”
The full press release and accompanying chart can be accessed here: http://www.globescan.com/
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