Yale study: Americans worried about climate change

Plurality blames human cause

David Crossley, Dec 13, 11.

Public understanding that global warming is happening remained essentially unchanged at 63 percent, while belief that it is caused mostly by human activities increased three points since May 2011, to 50 percent, according to a new study from Yale University:

A majority of Americans (57%) now disagree with the statement, “With the economy in such bad shape, the US can’t afford to reduce global warming” – an 8 point increase in disagreement since May 2011.

65 percent said that global warming is affecting weather in the United States.

Majorities said that global warming made the record high temperatures in the US, the drought in Texas and Oklahoma, the Mississippi River floods, the record snowfalls in the US, and Hurricane Irene worse.

Only 14 percent of Americans have ever heard of “the United Nations’ panel of climate experts, the “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).”

Just over half (54%) say that they are very (9%) or somewhat worried (45%) about the U.S. running out of natural resources. MORE