Just a slim majority of Americans consider global warming “a very serious problem,” despite an avalanche of publicity on the issue, and many aren’t even taking the “green” actions they support, a nationwide survey suggested today. The poll of more than 11,000 Americans, thought to be the largest ever done on climate change, reveals a gulf between public perceptions and the scientific consensus that the phenomenon poses threats. In the survey, 62 percent considered global warming a serious danger. Those who are doing the most to reduce their own “carbon footprint” see the problem and also believe their actions can make a difference. About three out of five adults agree “global warming is a threat to all life on the planet.” The rest are in denial, says Camille Parmesan, a biologist at the University of Texas and an expert on the effects of climate change. “It’s absolutely a threat. We don’t see a region or a group of organisms that hasn’t been affected.”
USA Today
Actions Don’t Match ‘Green’ Attitudes
(Jan. 31)
