ClimateChange GlobalWarmingSurvey

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Climate Change/Global Warming Survey Project

Student Researchers Chris Brown, Drew Christensen, Elora Leene, Dan Putman & Brittany Whited
Faculty Mentor: Eric Jamelske
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Department of Economics Chippewa Valley Center for Economic Research & Development Watershed Institute for Collaborative Environmental Studies
Two Presentations
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Assessing Climate Change/Global Warming Awareness, Perceptions and Beliefs of College Students in the United States and China
Overview

Background Sample Results
IPCC AR4: A State of the Planet Report
Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from

observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level. Global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 and now far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice cores spanning many thousands of years.
There is very high confidence that the net effect of human activities since 1750 has been one of warming.
Advances since the TAR show that discernible human influences extend beyond average temperature to other aspects of climate. Anthropogenic warming over the last three decades has likely had a discernible influence at the global scale on observed changes in many physical and biological systems.
Anthropogenic warming and sea level rise would continue for centuries due to the time scales associated with climate processes and feedbacks, even if GHG concentrations were to be stabilized.
http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_synthesis_report.htm
Global Warming Project
How much do people know about global warming? Is global warming happening? Is it anthropogenic? What are the consequences? What does science say? What should we do?
Source: The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC)
Source: The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) and CIA Factbook
The Sample
826 college students from four sites in U.S. Arkansas, California, New York, Wisconsin 776 college students from four sites in China. Guangdong, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Shanxi 1,602 total respondents. Sample size varies slightly due to some non-response/not sure.
Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions: 1,546,903,000 MT/yr
Population: 311,179,000
Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions: 1,917,621,000 MT/yr
Population: 1,341,000,000
Format
Comparison across groups Question and graph with response options
Distribution of student responses
Based On Every Measure of Knowledge, Awareness, Understanding, Perception and Concern
>
Re-Cap
Over 85% of Chinese students believe that CC/GW is happening compared to just over 75% of U.S. Students. This difference emerges because of a higher degree of uncertainty among U.S. students. Nearly all Chinese students that reported CC/GW was happening believed the causes were primarily due to human activities, while there was a significant drop off among U.S. students.
Re-Cap
Just over half of U.S. students believe there is a consensus among scientists that CC/GW is happening compared to nearly threequarters of Chinese students. There is almost no drop-off in the number of Chinese students that believe there is scientific consensus that CC/GW is primarily caused by human activities, while only 40% of U.S. students believe there is such a consensus among scientists. There is somewhat strong support (even in U.S.) to join international agreement to reduce CC/GW.
Re-Cap
Chinese students report a significantly greater level of familiarity with both national and international polices to address CC/GW. It is particularly troubling that 70.3% of U.S. students report being not at all or not very familiar with international policies. Finally, when asked how much they think about CC/GW and how important the issue of CC/GW is to them personally, it is clear Chinese college students are significantly more thoughtful and concerned about this important issue than U.S. students.

Assessing Political Differences in Relation to Climate Change/Global Warming Awareness, Perceptions and Beliefs of College Students in the United States
Overview

Background Sample Results
Previous Research on CC/GW and Politics
Majority of Americans believe CC/GW is happening, is caused by human activities and is worthy of concern and action However, there is a divide between those with conservative and liberal ideologies A widening gap in CC/GW attitudes between Republicans and Democrats (other research) Increased skepticism regarding CC/GW among those who reported watching Fox News (other research)
What About Our Sample?
Explore responses within the U.S. by political ideology
Liberal (n = 294)
Moderate/Other (n = 337)
Conservative (n = 195)
Re-Cap
Nearly 90% of liberal students believe that CC/GW is happening compared to just over 60% of conservative students. Strikingly, almost one-quarter of conservatives do not believe CC/GW is happening, while both groups report a fair degree of uncertainty with conservatives being more unsure. Despite a drop of just over 14 percentage points from those who believe CC/GW is happening, a strong majority of liberal students feel that it is primarily the result of human activities. In contrast, more conservative students (43.6%) believe CC/GW is mostly due to natural forces rather than human activities (41.5%).
Re-Cap
Students in both groups appear somewhat confused and unsure when asked about their understanding of CC/GW science.
More than one-third of liberal students and more than half of conservative students report believing there is a large degree of disagreement among scientists regarding whether CC/GW is happening. The number of students who believe there is significant disagreement among scientists regarding whether or not CC/GW is primarily caused by human activities increases to 46.6% for liberals and 57.4% for conservatives.
Re-Cap
Conservative students do not favor government regulation/legislation to address CC/GW.

Support for joining an international agreement to reduce CC/GW is significantly lower among conservative students, but perhaps higher than expected.
Re-Cap
As far as knowledge and familiarity with current U.S. policies being discussed to address CC/GW, both groups appear to be largely disengaged from the process. A higher percentage of conservative students (15.9%) report being extremely or very familiar with such policies compared to liberal students (9.5%). However, a higher percentage of conservative students (15.9%) also report being not at all familiar with U.S. CC/GW policies compared to liberal students (9.9%). The unfamiliarity is even larger for international policies.
IPCC AR4: A State of the Planet Report
Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from

observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level. Global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 and now far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice cores spanning many thousands of years.
There is very high confidence that the net effect of human activities since 1750 has been one of warming.
Advances since the TAR show that discernible human influences extend beyond average temperature to other aspects of climate. Anthropogenic warming over the last three decades has likely had a discernible influence at the global scale on observed changes in many physical and biological systems.
Anthropogenic warming and sea level rise would continue for centuries due to the time scales associated with climate processes and feedbacks, even if GHG concentrations were to be stabilized.
Media Influences
Special Interests
Government
Polarized Political Gridlock
Failed Policy Attempts (International)
CC/GW in the U.S. has evolved into a partisan political debate Kyoto Protocol (10) was the worlds first major international agreement on carbon emissions and CC/GW Adopted in December 1997 and entered into force in February 2005 U.S. signed but did not ratify and thus, never agreed to participate in this international cooperative effort
Failed Policy Attempts (National)

Lieberman/Warner Bill (S. 2191, 2007): Bipartisan bill Died on the Senate floor never reaching a vote (11) Waxman/Markey Bill (H.R. 2454, 2009): Democratic bill Passed by House with only eight out of 169 Republicans voting in favor, but was never passed by Senate (12) Boxer/Kerry Bill (S. 1733, 2009-10): Democratic bill Died on the Senate floor never reaching a vote (13)
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University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire