[✔️] August 11, 2023 + Global Warming News Digest | Pew Research Why Some Americans Do Not See Urgency on Climate Change - clips

Fri Aug 11 09:04:21 EDT 2023

/*August 11*//*, 2023*/addition /
/

from 
https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/08/09/why-some-americans-do-not-see-urgency-on-climate-change/

/[severely edited clips from the Pew Research Center report summary ]/
*Why Some Americans Do Not See Urgency on Climate Change*
In-depth interviews find some Americans consider crisis language 
overblown, leading to added skepticism of claims

BY GIANCARLO PASQUINI, ALISON SPENCER, ALEC TYSON AND CARY FUNK

As the Earth’s temperature continues to rise, fueling more intense 
storms and extreme weather, scientists are calling for immediate action 
to address climate change. However, climate change remains a lower 
priority for some Americans, and a subset of the public rejects that 
it’s happening at all.

To better understand the perspectives of those who see less urgency to 
address climate change, Pew Research Center conducted in-depth 
interviews with 32 U.S. adults who hold this view, including some who do 
not believe there’s evidence that the Earth is warming. Unlike much of 
our work on climate change, these interviews are not representative of 
all U.S. adults; rather, they are designed to provide deeper insight 
into the motivations and views of those most skeptical about climate change.

The interviews revealed that language describing climate change as a 
crisis and an urgent threat was met with suspicion by many participants. 
The disconnect between crisis rhetoric and the participants’ own beliefs 
and experiences drove doubt about the motivations of the people making 
these claims, sowing suspicion and deeper mistrust.

Interviewees widely rejected the national news media as a credible 
source for climate information. They see these outlets as presenting 
information that suits their own agendas. Interviewees generally 
expressed greater openness toward hearing from scientists on climate 
change because of their subject matter expertise. Still, participants 
stressed the importance of hearing factual statements from scientists 
rather than beliefs that may be shaped by their own political leanings 
or their research funders.

On policy, interviewees were open to government efforts to improve 
environmental quality, including air and water quality – especially when 
these efforts were at the local level. The conversations underscore 
areas of common ground around environmental protection, regardless of 
Americans’ level of concern about climate change.

When it comes to measures aimed at transitioning the country toward 
renewable energy, interviewees stressed the importance of respecting 
individual freedoms – and individual choice – in any energy transition. 
This theme was underscored by criticism of policies like ending the 
production of new gas-powered vehicles.
Nationally representative Pew Research Center surveys show that fewer 
than half of all Americans reject that humans are major contributors to 
climate change or say addressing the issue is not too important for the 
country. Even smaller shares take the most skeptical views and say the 
Earth is not warming at all and that no action should be taken.
Overall, 46% of Americans say human activity is the primary reason why 
the Earth is warming. By contrast, 26% say warming is mostly caused by 
natural patterns in the environment and another 14% do not believe 
there’s evidence the Earth is warming at all.

When it comes to policy action, 37% of Americans think addressing 
climate change should be a top priority for the president and Congress, 
and another 34% say it is an important but lower priority. By contrast, 
about three-in-ten say action on climate change is not too important 
(17%) or should not be done (11%). Republicans are much less likely than 
Democrats to prioritize climate action, though individuals who are 
skeptical about addressing climate change are seen within both party 
coalitions and across demographic groups. (Read this post for a roundup 
of survey data on how Americans feel about climate change.)

In-depth interviews with adults who view climate change as a lower 
priority and do not think the Earth is getting warmer primarily due to 
human activity were conducted virtually in May 2023 across five 
geographic areas: the Midwest, Mountain West, South, Southwest and 
Coastal Florida. Participants were selected based on their views on 
climate change and to ensure a broad mix of interviewees across 
characteristics including party, ideology, gender and education.
The analysis of these 32 interviews is designed to highlight common 
themes that emerged across conversations. The analysis and quotations 
are meant to offer a deeper exploration of the “why” behind the views 
and beliefs of those who see climate action as a lower priority.
/Complete report PDF/
/https://www.pewresearch.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2023/08/PS_2023.09.08_climate-change-interviews_REPORT.pdf/
- -
The major themes across these interviews include:

*Perceptions of climate change as part of the Earth’s natural cycles and 
strong skepticism toward claims of crisis*
A common explanation across interviews was that any changes to Earth’s 
climate are a natural part of the planet’s cycles that humans cannot 
control. Extreme weather was explained in a similar way, with many 
saying these events are natural occurrences that have not become more 
frequent and severe because of climate change.

Most of the 32 interviewees perceived claims of a climate crisis as 
exaggerated, and they connected this sense of overblown rhetoric with a 
need for increased scrutiny toward such claims.

    *-- Climate change is seen as part of Earth’s natural cycles and
    humans play a small role*. Most of the 32 interviewees were in
    agreement that the Earth’s climate is changing, but they typically
    explained these changes as part of natural patterns over time, with
    humans described as having little control over these changes. Two
    interviewees expressed extreme skepticism, calling climate change a
    “hoax.”

    *-- Extreme weather is seen as a part of life and not happening more
    often.* Many interviewees said that extreme weather events are
    natural occurrences and did not draw a connection between their
    intensity or frequency and climate change. Some participants added
    that people are just hearing more about these events than in the
    past because of the availability of information, but they are not
    becoming more common.

/Suspicion around claims that action on climate change is urgent/
One of the most common frustrations participants raised is the way that 
people talk about climate change as a crisis that requires immediate 
action. Many said that when they hear these arguments, they react with 
disbelief and increased scrutiny of the motives behind such statements...
- -
*Climate scientists are valued for their expertise, but also seen as 
potentially having an agenda; media outlets are not trusted sources of 
climate information*
Participants expressed trust in climate scientists while also 
considering that some might have personal biases. The openness to 
hearing from scientists on this issue was in contrast to their views of 
media outlets. Most interviewees said that the news media cannot be 
trusted for information about climate change.

Open to information from climate scientists. Many participants wanted to 
hear more from climate scientists because of their expertise. Yet some 
of the same participants also said they don’t have full trust in 
scientists because of uncertainty about their financial motivations and 
personal biases.

Widespread distrust in traditional media outlets. Most of the 32 
interviewees were reluctant to put full faith in information from 
national media outlets. Many said that media sources each have their own 
agenda and thus cannot be trusted.
- -
*Climate scientists are valued for their expertise, but also seen as 
potentially having an agenda; media outlets are not trusted sources of 
climate information*
Participants expressed trust in climate scientists while also 
considering that some might have personal biases. The openness to 
hearing from scientists on this issue was in contrast to their views of 
media outlets. Most interviewees said that the news media cannot be 
trusted for information about climate change...

    *-- Open to information from climate scientists*. Many participants
    wanted to hear more from climate scientists because of their
    expertise. Yet some of the same participants also said they don’t
    have full trust in scientists because of uncertainty about their
    financial motivations and personal biases...

    *-- Widespread distrust in traditional media outlets. *Most of the
    32 interviewees were reluctant to put full faith in information from
    national media outlets. Many said that media sources each have their
    own agenda and thus cannot be trusted.

- -
*Views of renewable energy sources and electric vehicles*
Interviewees expressed some support for using more renewable energy, 
alongside concerns about the pace and practicality of this transition...
- -
*Support for governmental policies as long as they don’t infringe on 
individual rights; personal efforts to protect the environment through 
recycling, reuse*
While interviewees saw less urgency on climate change action, they 
expressed an openness to government efforts to help the environment and 
preserve natural lands and waterways, especially when these actions were 
at the state and local level. They also supported individual action in 
areas such as recycling and limiting waste...

    *-- Government’s role is to help protect the environment without
    restricting individual freedoms*. While there was little support
    among participants for government action connected explicitly with
    climate change, some were open to efforts in related areas, such as
    encouraging renewable energy use and environmental protection. But
    participants stressed that any government action should not limit
    individuals’ freedoms and people should not be forced to change.
    More broadly, interviewees stated that a transition away from fossil
    fuels must be gradual, citing concerns about economic problems if
    such a transition happened too quickly....

    *-- The role of ordinary citizens is to recycle and not be wasteful.
    *With doubts about the urgency of climate change, few participants
    saw a need for direct personal action on the issue. However, many
    saw value in individual efforts to help protect the environment...

- -
*How do people who feel less urgency on climate change explain the 
Earth’s climate?*
When we talked with people about their views of climate change, most of 
the 32 interviewees explained that the Earth is warming mostly because 
of natural cycles of the environment, not human activity. Participants 
often supported their view by pointing to the planet’s history of 
warming and cooling as evidence of these natural cycles happening now...
- -
*Belief that climate change is due to Earth’s natural cycles, with 
limited effects from human activity and development*
A common view among interviewees was that changes in the Earth’s climate 
are due to natural patterns that the Earth has always experienced. Those 
with this view often said that the climate is changing but pointed to 
evidence of planetary cycles as proof that any current climate change is 
natural...
- -
*Extreme weather seen as part of natural patterns*
The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are linked to 
climate change. Our past research has found that large majorities of 
Americans who have experienced extreme weather say that climate change 
contributed at least a little.

In contrast to national opinion, most interviewees in these discussions 
did not see extreme weather as connected to climate change. Instead, 
participants explained extreme weather events in a similar way as 
climate change: These are natural events the Earth has always 
experienced. One man pointed to the history of extreme weather events 
happening as proof that they are not happening more frequently now...
- -
*A handful see no evidence the Earth is warming and consider climate 
change a hoax*
The most skeptical interviewees (two out of 32) dismissed climate change 
as entirely false and explained the discussion of climate change as 
rooted in political motivations...
- -
*How do people who see less urgency on climate change interpret calls to 
action?*
Many interviewees explained that hearing other people state the 
potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change caused them to be 
skeptical of whether climate change is actually something to be 
concerned about. For example, claims that climate change threatens human 
lives were often labeled as alarmist and seen as pushing an agenda. 
Participants were especially skeptical of the ways politicians could 
benefit if they frame climate change as a topic that must be addressed.

One approach aimed at motiving people to take action on climate change – 
describing it as a crisis and emphasizing its potentially catastrophic 
impacts – appears to be having the opposite effect on at least some 
parts of the population. Several interviewees said messages emphasizing 
the dire outcomes of climate change make them feel even more skeptical 
about the issue. Instead of motivating action, it sowed deeper distrust.

The interviewees who expressed frustration with the way those urging 
action on climate change discuss the issue felt there are people who 
talk about climate change with a level of concern unsupported by 
evidence. One woman emphasized the uncertainty around future impacts of 
climate change...
- -
*Some suspect elected officials’ advocacy on climate change is motivated 
by political or financial gain*
Some interviewees said elected officials push climate change as an 
important topic for their own political and financial benefits...
- -
*How do people less concerned about climate change view information from 
climate scientists and news media?*
Climate scientists have been at the center of discussions over evidence 
that the Earth is warming and projections about the future effects 
climate change could cause.

Interviewees expressed respect for the expertise of climate scientists 
while also raising the need to scrutinize their motivations. Overall, 
participants were more open to hearing from climate scientists than news 
media – who they see as largely biased and untrustworthy...
- -
*Participants express deep misgivings about the accuracy of information 
from traditional news media*
The openness to hearing from scientists was in stark contrast to how 
interviewees talked about the news media. Participants were much more 
dismissive of information from media organizations. Most of the 32 
participants described climate information from the media as biased and 
untrustworthy. Some said the media outlets are motivated more by profit 
than a goal to accurately report information...
- -
*Views of government efforts to promote renewable energy and electric 
vehicles*
The interviews explored views of government policies meant to limit the 
effects of climate change by encouraging a renewable energy transition 
and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
- -
*Concerns over an energy transition toward renewable energy sources*
Many interviewees emphasized that a transition toward a greater reliance 
on renewable energy sources must unfold gradually. Economic decline was 
a common concern with a fast-paced transition...
- -
*Concerns about electric vehicles range from environmental downsides to 
practicalities of charging*
Interviewees often used electric vehicles as an example to express their 
concerns with or opposition to renewable energy. Interviewees with 
concerns about electric vehicles mentioned environmental harm from EV 
batteries and the practical challenges of owning an EV...
- -
*What role should government play in environmental protection?*
While the participants in this study all placed lower importance on 
taking action to address climate change, they shared an openness to some 
types of government action on the environment, particularly at the local 
level. Specifically, support for efforts to protect natural lands and 
waterways came up in multiple conversations...
- -
*Enthusiasm for local government efforts to help citizens live in ways 
that support the environment*
One interviewee said government programs should provide a way for 
individuals to help the environment on their own...
- -
*Support for government action that avoids financial burden, respects 
personal freedoms and stays local*
Interviewees wanted to make sure government policies for addressing 
climate change and protecting the environment are effective and cost 
taxpayers little...
- -
Complete report PDF
https://www.pewresearch.org/science/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2023/08/PS_2023.09.08_climate-change-interviews_REPORT.pdf
https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/08/09/why-some-americans-do-not-see-urgency-on-climate-change/

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