Extreme Weather Is Firing The Climate Fight

Most Americans say weather disasters shifted their views on climate change

Ellen Knickmeyer, Hannah Fingerhut, Emily Swanson, January 22, 2019 (Associated Press via PBS Newshour)

“…[Views on climate change are shifting as Americans face] record deadly wildfires in California, rainfall by the foot in Houston when Hurricane Harvey hit and the dome of smog over Salt Lake City…[A November 2018 poll finds 74 percent of Americans say extreme weather in the past five years — hurricanes, droughts, floods and heat waves — has influenced their opinions about climate change. That includes half of Americans who say these recent events have influenced their thinking a great deal or a lot…About as many, 71 percent, said the weather they experience daily in their own areas has influenced their thinking about climate change science…The share of Americans who said they think the climate is changing has held roughly steady over the last year — about 7 in 10 Americans think climate change is happening.

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…Among those, 60 percent say climate change is caused mostly or entirely by humans, and another 28 percent think it’s about an equal mix of human activities and natural changes…Overall, 9 percent of Americans said climate change is not happening, and another 19 percent said they were not sure…[P]ersonal observations of real-time natural disasters and the weather around them have more impact than news stories or statements by religious or political leaders…A majority of Americans, 57 percent, would support a proposal that would add a $1 monthly fee to their electricity bills to combat climate change. But most oppose proposals that would increase their own monthly costs by $10 or more…” click here for more

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