For many people, climate change seems to be an ominous, faceless force with unstoppable momentum. How can the actions of any singular person influence the slowly-changing climate and atmosphere. Mother Nature, it would seem, yields to no man, and neither does the international industrial complex which produces much of the world's pollution. Nevertheless, the role of the individual is crucial to solving the issue of climate change. Only by overcoming the free-rider problem can the world prevent further catastrophic damage to this planet. While climate change is a global concern, it is also a personal one.
Recognizing The Problem
| Changing as a result of human activity | 56 |
|---|---|
| Changing but NOT a result of human activity | 26 |
| Don' know / No opinion | 10 |
| Not changing | 8 |
The first step to solving a problem is always acknowledging that one exists. For a number of Americans, though, this remains a dubious task. Almost one in ten Americans outright deny the existence of climate change altogether, while another quarter argue that humans are not at all to blame for the increasing global temperature and growing levels of atmospheric CO2. The majority of Americans do, however, recognize that human beings play a role in climate change: a small victory for those concerned about the health of the planet.
Low On The Priority List?
| Access to cleans water | Access to healthcare | Hunger and food waste | Ending poverty | Access to primary and secondary education | The environment | Gender equality | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of Americans that care about the following concerns | 88 | 85 | 83 | 80 | 77 | 72 | 67 |
Despite the claims of many environmentalists that climate change and the environment are immediate and pressing social concerns, it would appear that many Americans don't share that sentiment. While 72% of Americans claim to care at least a little about the environment, it actually ranks as one of the least concerning social issues. According to a poll by Harris Interactive, access to clean water, healthcare, hunger, poverty, and education are all more pressing concerns.
The Political Divide
| Exaggerated | Not sure | Not exaggerated | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republicans | 70 | 10 | 20 |
| Democrats | 20 | 7 | 73 |
The political nature of environmental protection and climate change is another substantially limiting factor in personal commitment to the cause. Beliefs about the status of the environment tend to break along red and blue lines, with the vast majority of Republicans claiming that the threat of climate change has been exaggerated while the vast majority of Democrats arguing the opposite. This divide creates both governmental gridlock and large amounts of misinformation as both sides cater to the political tastes of their proponents.