I heard the words today on the Stephanie Miller Show one of the guest contributors of the show multi talented Edie McClurg said “There are none so deaf then those who do not listen” It seems American are beginning to listen to news and information about the environment and climate change, but may not know what to do about it. A new report from Yale’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies called Americans’ Knowledge of Climate Change reports results from a national study of what Americans understand about how the climate system works. The report explores the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to global warming. Among other findings, the study identifies a number of important gaps in public knowledge and common misconceptions about climate change.
The Yale Project on grew out of a groundbreaking conference convened in 2005 in Aspen, CO. Over 100 national leaders representing science, media, religion, politics, entertainment, education, business, environmentalism, and civil society came together to develop an action plan to engage American society on climate change. Their charge was to diagnose why, in the face of ever stronger climate science, the United States had been slow to act and to recommend a set of initiatives to catalyze action. The Yale Project on Climate Change Communication works to: Advance public understanding and engagement with climate change science and solutions, and: Catalyze action by the general public and leaders of government, business, academia, and the media through improved knowledge and understanding.
Consider that the research reveals that 63 percent of Americans believe that global warming is happening, but many do not understand why and most have never heard of the of coral bleaching or ocean acidification. While a knowledge gap does exist many Americans understand that a transition to solar and other renewable energy sources is an important solution. Americans’ Knowledge of Climate Change reports results from a national study