What's your take?
Where do you stand on climate change? Have you steadfastly stuck to the sciences and advocated for more action? Or have you remained skeptical of climate change predictions, exercising distance from doom and gloom messaging? More importantly, how does where you stand now on climate change compare to where you stood 10 years ago? Climate change sentiments amongst the public and the media often shift over time, especially after a transition in political party control. A recent Gallup article has tracked public opinions on climate change, and the results tell a story of a growing gulf between parties' stances on its causes, severity, and outcomes.
Public Sentiment is Changing
The Gallup article tracks survey responses about Americans’ concern about climate change over the last 20-30 years. According to Gallup, climate change concern among U.S. citizens has increased on average over the last decade. However, public beliefs regarding the existence of climate change and its causes and effects, unfortunately, have taken on a strongly partisan bent. For several survey responses, 2016 marks the growing divide between political parties. The political party control exchanges between the Trump and Biden administrations have led to shifting climate change sentiments among Democratic, Republican, and independent voters. Moreover, the administrative actions and reversals between the Trump and Biden presidencies have led to a reconsideration of how under/overestimated climate change really is.
As expected, the Gallup article reports that Republican and Democratic voters differ in their responses regarding when exactly they think climate change effects will occur and whether they will threaten their way of life. However, a growing number of independent voters have reported a higher concern of global warming or climate change. Additionally, the largest share of independents ever recorded now believe that the effects of climate change are underestimated. Across the aisle, pollution is seen as the cause of Earth’s rising temperatures , with 66% of respondents agreeing and the remaining 33% attributing this phenomenon to natural causes.
Implications
Shifts in administration has led to federal agenda setting whiplash as the presidential ping pong match continues to use the causes and importance of climate change as another type of culture war pawn. However, the Gallup poll report suggests that new, historically high levels of public buy-in for climate change are being driven by what’s happening in their communities and daily lives, not by what is coming from the top down.
The Gallup poll does shed light onto a politically dark matter. Moving forward, we need to continue to push for more science and personal experiences in our agenda setting and less games of thrones. Whether you are a staunch climate change believer or have exercised a healthy distance from claims of doom and gloom, the science has not changed. And science is not just lab coats and beakers; it can happen on the streets and in your home. Therefore, it is important to continue to act locally where you think climate change is impacting you. See a street flooding repeatedly throughout the year, report it. Notice that you are turning your AC on more during the summer, let your electrical utility know when they want to raise your bill. Most importantly, understand that political divides aside, climate change does not acknowledge your affiliations, but rather the chemical and physical makeup of our air, water, and wildlife.