Confidence in climate science remains strong, poll shows

Survey shows 71% of Britons are concerned about climate, despite hacked emails, failure at Copenhagen and cold weather

Climate science's winter of discontent has not made a large impact on the British public's attitudes to global warming, according to poll of over 1,800 people.

The poll, by researchers at the University of Cardiff, showed a small drop in public acceptance of climate change but not the major falls that some observers had predicted after a series of media controversies over the actions of climate scientists, combined with the failure of the Copenhagen summit and the record-breaking cold temperatures.

"By no means has there been a collapse in confidence in climate science," said Professor Nick Pidgeon, who led the study. "If I was in policy circles I would not be complacent, but reassured that it has not been as serious as many thought it would be."

The survey showed that almost three-quarters (71%) of Britons are concerned about climate change. Some 78% think the climate is changing, which is down from 91% who said it was in a similar poll in 2005. Pidgeon said there were a number of possible explanations for the decline, including the economic crisis. "There is a theory that there is a finite pool of worry that anyone has."

.....

The results come as a similar survey in the US shows that public concern about global warming is on the rise. The research, from experts at Yale and George Mason universities, showed that belief among the US public that global warming is happening has risen 4% since January, to 61%. Those who accept it is caused by human activity rose 3% to 50%. And the number of US citizens who said that the issue is personally important to them rose 5%, to 63%.

"The stabilisation and slight rebound in public opinion is occurring amid signs the economy is starting to recover, along with consumer confidence, and as memories of unusual snowstorms and scientific scandals recede," said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. "The BP oil disaster is also reminding the public of the dark side of dependence on fossil fuels, which may be increasing support for clean energy policies."