Really Depressing Polling Data on Global Warming Beliefs

The Intersection
By Chris Mooney
Jun 8, 2011 10:10 PMNov 20, 2019 12:41 AM

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Anthony Leiserowitz of Yale is out with new polling data on the public and climate, including asking a question that hasn't been asked before: "To the best of your knowledge, what proportion of climate scientists think that global warming is caused mostly by human activities?" Here are the (dismal) results:

81 to 100 % (of climate scientists) -- 15 % (of Americans) 61 to 80 % -- 18 % 41 to 60 % -- 18 % 21 to 40 % -- 12 % 0 to 20 % -- 7 % Don't know enough to say -- 32 %

In other words, Americans are all over the map on this question, with no idea as to the strength of the scientific consensus. Or to put it another way--the vast majority of the public is either giving the wrong answer, or doesn't know the answer.

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