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<p><font size="+2"><font face="Calibri"><i><b>August 11</b></i></font></font><font
size="+2" face="Calibri"><i><b>, 2023</b></i></font><font
face="Calibri"> addition </font><i><br>
</i></p>
<p>from
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/08/09/why-some-americans-do-not-see-urgency-on-climate-change/">https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/08/09/why-some-americans-do-not-see-urgency-on-climate-change/</a></p>
<i>[severely edited clips from the Pew Research Center report
summary ]</i><br>
<b>Why Some Americans Do Not See Urgency on Climate Change</b><br>
In-depth interviews find some Americans consider crisis language
overblown, leading to added skepticism of claims<br>
<p>BY GIANCARLO PASQUINI, ALISON SPENCER, ALEC TYSON AND CARY FUNK</p>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
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.<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.)<br>
<br>
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.<br>
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. <br>
<i>Complete report PDF</i><br>
<i><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="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/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2023/08/PS_2023.09.08_climate-change-interviews_REPORT.pdf</a></i><br>
- -<br>
The major themes across these interviews include:<br>
<br>
<b>Perceptions of climate change as part of the Earth’s natural
cycles and strong skepticism toward claims of crisis</b><br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<blockquote><b>-- Climate change is seen as part of Earth’s natural
cycles and humans play a small role</b>. 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.”<br>
<br>
<b>-- Extreme weather is seen as a part of life and not happening
more often.</b> 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.<br>
</blockquote>
<i>Suspicion around claims that action on climate change is urgent</i><br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Climate scientists are valued for their expertise, but also seen
as potentially having an agenda; media outlets are not trusted
sources of climate information</b><br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
- -<br>
<b>Climate scientists are valued for their expertise, but also seen
as potentially having an agenda; media outlets are not trusted
sources of climate information</b><br>
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...<br>
<blockquote><b>-- Open to information from climate scientists</b>.
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...<br>
<br>
<b>-- Widespread distrust in traditional media outlets. </b>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.<br>
</blockquote>
- -<br>
<b>Views of renewable energy sources and electric vehicles</b><br>
Interviewees expressed some support for using more renewable energy,
alongside concerns about the pace and practicality of this
transition...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Support for governmental policies as long as they don’t infringe
on individual rights; personal efforts to protect the environment
through recycling, reuse</b><br>
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...<br>
<blockquote><b>-- Government’s role is to help protect the
environment without restricting individual freedoms</b>. 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....<br>
<br>
<b>-- The role of ordinary citizens is to recycle and not be
wasteful. </b>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...<br>
</blockquote>
- -<br>
<b>How do people who feel less urgency on climate change explain the
Earth’s climate?</b><br>
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...<br>
- - <br>
<b>Belief that climate change is due to Earth’s natural cycles, with
limited effects from human activity and development</b><br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Extreme weather seen as part of natural patterns</b><br>
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.<br>
<br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>A handful see no evidence the Earth is warming and consider
climate change a hoax</b><br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>How do people who see less urgency on climate change interpret
calls to action?</b><br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Some suspect elected officials’ advocacy on climate change is
motivated by political or financial gain</b><br>
Some interviewees said elected officials push climate change as an
important topic for their own political and financial benefits...<br>
- -<br>
<b>How do people less concerned about climate change view
information from climate scientists and news media?</b><br>
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.<br>
<br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Participants express deep misgivings about the accuracy of
information from traditional news media</b><br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Views of government efforts to promote renewable energy and
electric vehicles</b><br>
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.<br>
- -<br>
<b>Concerns over an energy transition toward renewable energy
sources</b><br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Concerns about electric vehicles range from environmental
downsides to practicalities of charging</b><br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>What role should government play in environmental protection?</b><br>
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...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Enthusiasm for local government efforts to help citizens live in
ways that support the environment</b><br>
One interviewee said government programs should provide a way for
individuals to help the environment on their own...<br>
- -<br>
<b>Support for government action that avoids financial burden,
respects personal freedoms and stays local</b><br>
Interviewees wanted to make sure government policies for addressing
climate change and protecting the environment are effective and cost
taxpayers little...<br>
- -<br>
Complete report PDF <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="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/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2023/08/PS_2023.09.08_climate-change-interviews_REPORT.pdf</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/08/09/why-some-americans-do-not-see-urgency-on-climate-change/">https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/08/09/why-some-americans-do-not-see-urgency-on-climate-change/</a><br>
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