The Newest Climate Challenge: Fatigue

You'd think the seemingly endless stream of warnings about the state of the planet (record heat, faster melting poles, increasing extreme weather, etc.) would galvanize public opinion. However, a new poll reports concern is at an all time low.

March 3, 2013, 1pm PST | Jonathan Nettler | @nettsj

"Global concern for major environmental issues is at an all time low, according to the results of a global poll of more than 22,000 people in 22 countries, released earlier this week," reports Christopher F. Schuetze.

“'Scientists report that evidence of environmental damage is stronger than ever — but our data shows that economic crisis and a lack of political leadership mean that the public are starting to tune out,' said Doug Miller, the chairman of GlobeScan, the company that carried out the study."

"While respondents clearly still had grave environmental concerns," adds Schuetze, "fewer people were 'very concerned' about various environmental issues than at any point in the last 20 years."

According to GlobeScan, "The perceived seriousness of climate change has fallen particularly sharply since the unsuccessful UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009. Climate concern dropped first in industrialized countries, but this year’s figures show that concern has now fallen in major developing economies such as Brazil and China as well."

Full Story:

Environmental Warning Fatigue

Published on Saturday, March 2, 2013 in The New York Times