On the Importance of Strengthening Moderate Beliefs in Climate Science to Foster Support for Immediate Action

Zachary Wendling,Rachel Krause,John Graham,David Warren,Sanya Carley,John Rupp,Shahzeen Attari

doi:10.3390/su5125153

Abstract

Whereas many studies focus on climate skeptics to explain the lack of support for immediate action on climate change, this research examines the effect of moderate believers in climate science. Using data from a representative survey of 832 Indiana residents, we find that agreement with basic scientific conclusions about climate change is the strongest predictor of support for immediate action, and the strength of that agreement is an important characteristic of this association. Responses indicate widespread acceptance of climate change, moderate levels of risk perception, and limited support for immediate action. Half of the respondents (50%) preferred “more research” over “immediate action” (38%) and “no action” (12%) as a response to climate change. The probability of preferring immediate action is close to zero for those who strongly or somewhat disbelieve in climate change, but as belief in climate change grows from moderate to strong, the probability of preferring immediate action increases substantially; the strongest believers have a predicted probability of preferring immediate action of 71%. These findings suggest that, instead of simply engaging skeptics, increasing public support for immediate action might entail motivating those with moderate beliefs in climate change to hold their views with greater conviction.

Highlights

Americans are increasingly convinced that climate change is occurring [1]
Support for climate action is related to how individuals perceive the risks from climate change [14,15,18,19,20], with higher risk perceptions associated with greater support for immediate action
When comparing results from this survey of Indiana residents to similar questions asked in nationwide surveys, there are some similar patterns for preferences for action on climate change and similar levels of agreement with statements about climate change

Summary

Introduction

Americans are increasingly convinced that climate change is occurring [1]. public policy, at the federal level, has lagged behind this movement in public opinion. The lack of comprehensive political action may be partly explained by politicians’ misunderstanding of their constituencies’ sentiments on this issue [4], but the broader problem of inaction may be based on a number of barriers identified in the literature on the value-action gap [7,8] Rather than exploring these specific barriers, this study establishes a connection between beliefs about climate change and the pervasive reluctance among Americans to support immediate action on climate change. With respect to voluntary behavior, Aitken, Chapman, and McClure [23] find that perceptions of risk and human influence on climate change were significant predictors of New Zealanders taking action Our study extends this literature in two ways: first, by examining a population in the U.S, where Aitken, et al [23]

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