A Change in the Climate For the Climate Change Debate?
A new survey from the Pew Research Center suggests that the political environment for debating climate change is deteriorating.
Even as major climate change legislation moves through Congress, fewer voters believe global warming is a very serious problem — or even think there is solid evidence of it — a new Pew Research survey finds. And action on the environment has slipped even further down voters’ lists of policy priorities for the president, although a majority would not oppose regulations limiting carbon emissions.
Part of the drop is likely explained by the increased politicization of the issue as it is considered in Congress.
Since 2007, there’s been a 25 point drop among Independents who believe there is solid evidence for global warming, still leaving a majority, 53% with that belief. Among Republicans, there has been a 27 point drop, leaving only 35% of Republicans believing there’s strong evidence that the earth is warming.