Scanning Public Opinion On Climate Change

Fact Checking The Claim Of A Major Shift In Climate Change Opinion

Earl J. Ritchie, January 30, 2019 (Forbes)

“… Overall, the change [in public opinion about climate change] is minor…[but] in some segments it has changed greatly…Reported change over time varies with the polling organization and specific question…Questions may include “explainers,” nominally to give some understanding of the subject. These explainers are often biased, usually in favor of climate change belief. Not surprisingly, this skews poll results. One study found a 40% increase in overall results and a 100% difference among Republicans as a result of explainers and question structure…Despite claims of margin of error of 5% or less, differences among surveys show that poll results are not that accurate…

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Per recent Pew poll results, approximately half of Americans believe climate change is caused by human activity…[A]n increasing majority of Democrats believe warming is due to human activity, but the belief by Republicans is low and little changed…[Differences by age, gender, location and education level are small] compared to political affiliation and ideology…[P]roponents make a big deal out of any news that favors their viewpoint…[but it is clear a] strong majority of Americans believe climate change is happening…Roughly 50% believe human activity is a significant contributor…Democrats are largely believers that human activity is the cause of climate change; Republicans are not…” click here for more

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