MORE CLIMATE CHANGE BELIEVERS, FEWER DENIERS

Poll: Belief in global warming rising in both parties

Ben Geman, October 15, 2012 (The Hill)

“Growing numbers of Democrats, Republicans and independent voters believe global warming is occurring, but sharp partisan divides on the topic remain…The Pew Research Center poll…shows that 67 percent of Americans say there is solid evidence of global warming.

“That’s four points higher than 2011 and 10 points higher than 2009, although it remains well below the 77 percent who held at view five years ago…Eighty-five percent of Democrats believe there is solid evidence of warming, up from 77 percent last year; 65 percent of independents hold that view, up two percent from last year, while 48 percent of Republicans see solid evidence of warming, a five point increase over last year and 13 points higher than in 2009...”

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“The poll is also the latest to show major divides between supporters of President Obama and GOP nominee Mitt Romney on climate change…Eighty-eight percent of Obama voters see solid evidence of global warming compared with 42 percent of Romney backers. And among Obama backers, 59 percent call global warming a ‘very serious’ problem, compared to 13 percent of Romney’s voters…

“The vast majority of scientists and scientific groups say global warming is occurring and that human activities — including the use of fossil fuels — are a major reason why…Sixty-three percent of Obama voters say global warming is occurring mostly because of human activity, compared to 18 percent of Romney voters…Similarly, the poll shows that Democrats in general are far more likely than Republicans to blame warming on human activities…”

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