A telephone poll of 1,018 likely voters, conducted by Zogby International in August 2006 shortly before the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, found that nearly three of every four (74 percent) American voters are more convinced today that global warming is occurring than they were two years ago. Only 20 percent (one in five) say they are less convinced global warming is happening.
Global Warming Certainty is Widespread
Those who are now more convinced that global warming is happening represent virtually all demographic segments in the United States, including region, age, religion, racial background, gender and income group.
This change in thinking about global warming also spans the political spectrum. A majority of Democrats (87 percent), Republicans (56 percent) and Independents (82 percent) all say they are now somewhat or much more convinced that global warming is happening than they were two years ago.
"Global warming isn't about right or left, it's about right or wrong," said Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation, which commissioned the survey. "American's believe we have a moral responsibility to confront global warming to protect our children's future."
Survey Results Are Opinion, Not Science
The survey findings do not constitute scientific evidence that hurricanes and other intense weather events are the result of global warming, but they do show that people across the United States are concerned about the potential effects of global warming and are making a clear connection between global warming and the intense weather events they hear about or experience.
Other poll highlights include:
- Almost 70 percent of those surveyed believe that global warming has had a major influence or some influence on intense weather events such as hurricanes like Katrina (68 percent), more frequent droughts (69 percent), less snowfall (68 percent), the 2006 summer heat wave (65 percent), and more wildfires (58 percent).
- 72 percent of those polled say that addressing global warming by requiring industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions can improve the environment without harming the economy. This figure is up 5 percent over responses received to the same question three years ago.
- The belief that industries should be required to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to help reduce global warming was consistent among respondents across a wide range of ages, but there was some division along political party lines. Eighty-one percent of Democrats said major industries should be required to cut greenhouse gas emissions, while 61 percent of Republicans and 73 percent of Independents agreed.
