Tuesday, March 16, 2010 11:49 AM
Gallup: More People Unconcerned About Warming
By Amy Harder, NationalJournal.com
Americans are worrying less and less about environmental problems, such as clean water and air pollution, and global warming seems to be the very least of their concerns, according to a new Gallup poll.
While 28 percent of respondents said they worry about global warming a "great deal," the percentage of those saying they don't worry at all is a notch higher -- 29 percent, which is the highest percentage Gallup has ever recorded for this issue by at least 9 percentage points. The combined 48 percent who worry about global warming "only a little" or "not at all" also appears to be a new high for the poll, and the first time more than 40 percent have responded that way since 47 percent did in 2004.
Gallup's analysis suggests that the drop could be explained by increased economic concerns coupled with a perception that the United States' environmental conditions are improving.
Public concern about global warming has historically been lower than the seven other environmental problems Gallup records for this survey. Indeed, only two other problems this year saw a double-digit percentage of respondents saying they don't care at all (11 percent for the loss of tropical rain forest and 15 percent for extinction of plant and animal species).
Concern is highest for pollution of drinking water, but the number of people who say they worry "a great deal" is still at the 50 percent mark, down 9 points since last year. Water has historically been the top concern for Americans, according to Gallup's trend data, and today's poll results are no different. The top four concerns deal with water.
The poll surveyed 1,014 adults nationwide March 4-7. Its margin of error is +/- 4 points.
Check out this blog's previous coverage of Gallup's recent polls on global warming.
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