Those majorities correspond roughly with the 54 percent of
New Hampshire voters and 53 percent of voters nationwide who elected Barack Obama as
President in 2008. Obama campaigned on implementing “an economy-wide cap and
trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.”
A substantial minority – 35 percent in New Hampshire and 39
percent nationally - believe that climate change is happening, but caused
mainly by natural forces. A tiny minority – 3 percent in New Hampshire and 7
percent nationally – believe climate change is not happening now.
Survey data collected in August 2011 by the UNH Survey Center as part of the Granite State Poll shows disagreement over climate change falls
largely along party lines in New Hampshire:
Climate change is happening now and caused mainly by humans:
- 82 percent of Democrats
- 43 percent of Independents
- 31 percent Republicans
Climate change is happening now and caused mainly by natural
forces:
- 12 percent of Democrats
- 44 percent of Independents
- 55 percent of Republicans
Climate change is not happening now:
- 1 percent of Democrats
- 4 percent of Independents
- 5 percent of Republicans
Researcher Larry Hamilton, a professor of sociology at the
University of New Hampshire and senior fellow at the Carsey Institutes writes that Granite Staters' widely held belief (90%) that climate change
is happening now “might reflect awareness of the tangible evidence for climate
change in that state. This evidence includes such things as increasingly frequent
mild winters, earlier ice-out dates on the big lakes, and seasonal shifts
causing trouble for maple syrup production.”
While a number of the 2012 Republican presidential candidates dispute the idea that climate change is caused by human activity, at least one of those skeptics may be open to climate preparedness or adaptation strategies.
"It may be that it is dramatically less expensive to adjust to a change in climate than it is to stop the entire planet from changing," Newt Gingrich told voters gathered at a Granite State PAC house party in Manchester, NH back in May.
While a number of the 2012 Republican presidential candidates dispute the idea that climate change is caused by human activity, at least one of those skeptics may be open to climate preparedness or adaptation strategies.
"It may be that it is dramatically less expensive to adjust to a change in climate than it is to stop the entire planet from changing," Newt Gingrich told voters gathered at a Granite State PAC house party in Manchester, NH back in May.
Read the full study:
"evidence includes such things as increasingly frequent mild winters, earlier ice-out dates on the big lakes, and seasonal shifts causing trouble for maple syrup production.”
ReplyDeleteAnd also don't forget moose are rutting all year long now, the cows are farting more than usual, birch bark just doesn't burn as good as it used to and ol' Fred down the street got stung twice this honey harvesting season.