At its absolute simplest, the climate change issue centers around two main questions; is the surface temperature of the earth trending upward and, if so, why?
The first question seems pretty straightforward. I'm far from a climate scientist, but temperature charts are (beyond a certain date) empirical and a trend upward is apparent. So, why the increase becomes the $64,000 question. Some hypotheses offered include some minor change in the earths orbit, a change in our suns intensity, and natural phenomena (such as volcanic activity) that have dumped enough particulates and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to influence temperatures.
But the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community is that increased levels of man made "greenhouse gas" concentrations are the culprit. I suppose I trust climate scientists like I trust doctors. I know they've spent a bunch of time studying their respective sciences, know a whole lot more than me about those sciences, but neither are above reproach. Just because your doctor diagnoses you have some ailment doesn't mean you shouldn't get a second opinion. But when pretty much all the doctors diagnose the same ailment, as nearly all climate scientists and scientific associations have done with greenhouse gases as the source of increasing temperatures, it seems reasonable to believe it as true. Call me gullible. Or sane.
But, surprisingly, there are folks that don't believe the temperature of the earth is trending upward or that man's influence has anything to do with a warming trend. Somehow or other, science became a political issue and political party affiliation has become an indicator for believers and deniers.
A new Ipsos/McClatchy poll found a majority of Americans believe in climate change and a man made influence. While 70% of the total respondents acknowledged the earths temperature has been increasing and 61% of the total respondents agreed that human activity is the cause, the responses go wildly out of kilter when evaluated by political party. Greg Sargent received the raw data from the poll:
A surprisingly large percentage of Republicans, 43%, say (global warming) isn’t happening, versus only 23% of independents and 16% of Dems. Meanwhile, only 57% of Republicans say it’s happening, versus 68% of independents and 82% of Dems.
It gets more interesting. Of those who believe the earth is warming, a whopping 66% of independents and 72% of Dems believe that it’s the result of human activity, and not natural patterns in the earth’s environment.
By contrast, Republicans are the only group in which a minority (42%) believes it’s the result of human activity. A majority (54%) chalks warming up to natural patterns.
The GOP seems to be staking out a position for itself as the "anti-science" party. It's a crazy thing - one of the two political parties in the most advanced nation on earth, heading into the 21st century and enthusiastically embracing hocus pocus, superstition and a scientific curiosity in keeping with the 15th century.
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