By Jason Samenow
"I’ve added a parenthetical clarification in the first paragraph below noting that the 97% figure refers to studies that took a position on whether global warming was manmade or not (66% of the studies surveyed did not express a position).)
Original post, w/clarification: A new study confirms there is strong scientific consensus that human activities are causing the planet to warm. 97% of scientific papers (that take a stance on the issue) agree, the study finds. This finding serves as a nice talking point for cocktail party conversations, but it’s less clear it will have a meaningful effect on public’s level of concern about climate change. The authors* of the study (Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature), who painstakingly sifted through nearly 12,000 academic journal article to reach their conclusion, say they hope their results bridge the divide between publishing scientists who are convinced human activities are causing global warming & the segment of the public, who are not. This, they say, will motivate action on climate change. “The public perception of a scientific consensus on [manmade warming] is a necessary element in public support for climate policy,” the study says. “However, there is a significant gap between public perception & reality, w/57% of the US public either disagreeing or unaware that scientists overwhelmingly agree that the earth is warming due to human activity.” But Keith Kloor, a science writer for Discover, smartly argues that while closing this gap is a laudable goal, it doesn’t necessarily move the needle on public’s level of concern about the issue or their motivation to act. “Over many years of research, we have consistently found that, on average, Americans view climate change as a threat distant in space & time–a risk that will affect far away places, other species, or future generations more than people here & now,” concludes a Yale report that Kloor cites."
Original post, w/clarification: A new study confirms there is strong scientific consensus that human activities are causing the planet to warm. 97% of scientific papers (that take a stance on the issue) agree, the study finds. This finding serves as a nice talking point for cocktail party conversations, but it’s less clear it will have a meaningful effect on public’s level of concern about climate change. The authors* of the study (Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature), who painstakingly sifted through nearly 12,000 academic journal article to reach their conclusion, say they hope their results bridge the divide between publishing scientists who are convinced human activities are causing global warming & the segment of the public, who are not. This, they say, will motivate action on climate change. “The public perception of a scientific consensus on [manmade warming] is a necessary element in public support for climate policy,” the study says. “However, there is a significant gap between public perception & reality, w/57% of the US public either disagreeing or unaware that scientists overwhelmingly agree that the earth is warming due to human activity.” But Keith Kloor, a science writer for Discover, smartly argues that while closing this gap is a laudable goal, it doesn’t necessarily move the needle on public’s level of concern about the issue or their motivation to act. “Over many years of research, we have consistently found that, on average, Americans view climate change as a threat distant in space & time–a risk that will affect far away places, other species, or future generations more than people here & now,” concludes a Yale report that Kloor cites."