Gallup: Despite Alarms, Americans Don't See Global Warming as Urgent [View All]

Editor & Publisher: Gallup: Despite Recent Alarms, Americans Don't See Global Warming as Urgent Issue
By E&P Staff
Published: April 07, 2006

NEW YORK With warnings about global warming reaching a fever pitch in recent weeks--Vanity Fair is about to come out with a story featuring George Clooney and Julia Roberts on its cover--Americans are more convinced than ever that the Earth is being affected by global warming, but they have still not grown urgently concerned about it, according to a Gallup poll released today.

Only one in three predict global warming will pose a serious threat in their lifetimes.

Contrary to what one might expect, Gallup found that while public concern is higher than in 2004, they are "no higher than it has been at several points in the past." In fact, Americans are more worried about water pollution, air pollution, and toxic waste than global warming.

This comes despite the fact that a record number of Americans, 58%, believe climate change as a result of global warming has already begun, and is the result of man-made operations, not natural cycles.

Gallup found that only 36% of Americans say they worry a great deal about "the greenhouse effect" or global warming. The percentage saying global warming will "pose a serious threat to you or your way of life in your lifetime" is now 35%; 62% think it will not...."Since 1999, REPUBLICANS' level of worry about the issue has dipped noticeably," Gallup reports, "while worry among DEMOCRATS has shown less change."...

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