Just 18 percent of those polled name it as their top environmental concern. That compares with 33 percent who said so in 2007, amid publicity about a major U.N. climate report and Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary about global warming. Today, 29 percent identify water and air pollution as the world's most pressing environmental issue.But - we will now devote considerable space to explaining why the public is so dumb. I summarize; you decide.
Some who feel passionately about the issue say they have noticed that President Obama is no longer pushing a bill that would limit greenhouse gas emissions and allow emitters to trade pollution credits, a
"I know that he has to pick his battles," said Margaret Foshee, 52, of Arlington County, who works in a ski shop after spending much of her career as a nurse. Describing herself as "a big Obama supporter," Foshee said she hopes the president will do more to address climate change if he wins a second term. "If you don't take a stand on this, we're all doomed. . . . We've got to do something even if no one else's doing it. America should be a leader on a project like this."
I wonder who Margret thinks is the leader on clean air. India? China? Russia? Spain? Italy? Greece?
While concern about warming crosses party lines, the intensity is sharply different. More than half of Democrats say it will be "very serious" if no action is taken, compared with 23 percent of Republicans and more than a third of independents.
I wonder how the intensity lines up with those who support more government and those who want less?
There are also partisan differences in how respondents see the roles of government and business. About three-quarters of Democrats say both government and business should do "a great deal" or "quite a bit" to address global warming. A quarter of Republicans say government should do that much, and 36 percent say so about business.
Whether you think it's a big deal or not, you were asked what to do about it.
"The good news is that the public understands that the global warming problem is serious, and they overwhelmingly support serious solutions. The sad news is that, with reduced mainstream-media coverage and with big polluters and their allies in the media and in Congress falsely screaming hoax, the issue is not as high a priority," said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters. "But record-breaking temperatures, intense droughts and wildfires, and other climate-related disasters will hopefully be a wake-up call."
That's right, James - the big polluters and their allies in the media. [giggle]
While many Republican lawmakers and candidates -- including the party's presumptive presidential nominee, Mitt Romney -- question the connection between human activity and climate change, a majority of Americans say such a link exists. Thirty percent say climate change is caused by humans, and 47 percent say both human and natural factors contribute to it. Just 22 percent think climate change stems from natural causes alone.
A fine, compact lesson in spin - negative Republican connection and "a majority" think a link exists. That same yes-no-maybe data also supports a conclusion that "A majority don't even think humans are the primary factor in climate change." Or even more fair - only 30% think humans cause climate change.