New Rasmussen poll: Americans skeptical of global warming science
Although White House spokesman Robert Gibbs stated that most Americans believe that global warming is not “in dispute anymore,” Rasmussen Reports’ latest poll contradicts him. The new poll reveals that:
Fifty-two percent (52%) of Americans believe that there continues to be “significant disagreement within the scientific community over global warming”; and
“Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Americans say it’s at least somewhat likely that some scientists have falsified research data to support their own theories and beliefs about global warming. Thirty-five percent (35%) say it’s Very Likely. Just 26% say it’s not very or not at all likely that some scientists falsified data.”
Rasmussen concludes that the skepticism of the American people is not related to the recent release of Climate Research Unit emails in the “Climategate” scandal because “[j]ust 20% of Americans say they’ve followed news reports about those e-mails Very Closely, while another 29% have followed them Somewhat Closely.”
Rasmussen theorizes that Americans’ skepticism may be due to the role the United Nations has played in promoting the global warming issue since:
“Only 22% of Americans consider the UN to be a reliable source of information on global warming. Forty-nine percent (49%) disagree and say the international organization is not reliable on that topic. Twenty-nine percent (29%) aren’t sure.”
While the majority of Americans may not trust the climate scientists or the UN, 46% still say global warming is a major problem, with 36% disagreeing, and 18% undecided.
If in-depth reporting of the Climategate emails becomes more widespread in the mainstream media, Americans may become even more skeptical.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oddsock/61185838/
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Find the Rasmussen report here:
Copyright 2009 - K.J.Collins
