ClimateChange-GlobalWarmingSurvey

8/12/2019 ClimateChange-GlobalWarmingSurvey

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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


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Two

Presentations


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Assessing Climate Change/Global Warming

Awareness, Perceptions and Beliefs of College

Students in the United States and China

Student Researchers





Chippewa Valley Center for

Economic Research & Development




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Overview

Background

Sample

Results


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IPCC AR4: A State of the Planet Report

Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident fromobservations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snowand 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


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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?


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Source: The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC)


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Source: The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) and CIA Factbook


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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.


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Population: 311,179,000

Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions: 1,546,903,000 MT/yr


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Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions: 1,917,621,000 MT/yr

Population: 1,341,000,000


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Format

Comparison across groups

Question and graph with response options

Distribution of student responses


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U i i Wi i E Cl i


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U i i Wi i E Cl i


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U i it Wi i E Cl i


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U i it Wi i E Cl i


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U i it Wi i E Cl i


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Based On Every Measure of Knowledge Awareness


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Based On Every Measure of Knowledge, Awareness,

Understanding, Perception and Concern

>

University f Wisconsin Eau Claire


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Re-Cap

Over 85% of Chinese students believe that CC/GW is happeningcompared 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.



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Re-Cap

Just over half of U.S. students believe there is a consensus amongscientists that CC/GW is happening compared to nearly three-

quarters of Chinese students.

There is almost no drop-off in the number of Chinese students thatbelieve 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.



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Re-Cap

Chinese students report a significantly greater level of familiaritywith 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 andconcerned about this important issue than U.S. students.



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Assessing Political Differences in Relation to Climate

Change/Global Warming Awareness, Perceptions

and Beliefs of College Students in the United States

Student Researchers





Chippewa Valley Center forEconomic Research & Development



University of Wisconsin Eau Claire


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Overview

Background

Sample

Results



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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)



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What About Our Sample?

Explore responses within the U.S. by political ideology

Liberal (n = 294) Moderate/Other (n = 337) Conservative (n = 195)


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y



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y


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y

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 ishappening.

The number of students who believe there is significant disagreement

among scientists regarding whether or not CC/GW is primarilycaused by human activities increases to 46.6% for liberals and 57.4%

for conservatives.



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y

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.


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IPCC AR4: A State of the Planet Report

Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident fromobservations 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.



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Media Influences


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Media Influences

Special Interests


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Special Interests

Government


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Government

Polarized Political Gridlock


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Polarized Political Gridlock



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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



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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 infavor, 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)

Questions & Discussion


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ClimateChange-GlobalWarmingSurvey

Documents

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