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The reason why certain voters in the USA dont believe in climate change is because there's a dedicated network of corporations pumping money into the media that

by hobs 8y ago

The reason why certain voters in the USA dont believe in climate change is because there's a dedicated network of corporations pumping money into the media that repeats this bad-faith claim. At some point it became table stakes for the conservative identity in America that you should reject climate change.

eanzenberg 8y ago
Its not that they dont believe it, they just think its not that big a deal. 4ft sealevel increase in 100 years
- VintageCool 8y ago
  I believe that's a recent movement of the goal posts; it's still quite common among conservatives to believe that climate change is a hoax.
  - eanzenberg 7y ago
    Perhaps. Climate change has been scientific since what, the 70s or 80s? Only recently have we seen repeated significant increases in the global mean temperature. This means early skeptics now are forced to choose reality vs. being a conspiracy theorist. Politicians try to appeal to their base but both sides know climate change is 1) too far into the future to matter and 2) not much impact even in the far future.
    - hobs 7y ago
      No, "both sides" absolutely don't know this. In fact - climate scientists are talking about changes that need to be made in the next decade if we want to put off major ecological collapse.
brightball 8y ago
It really didn’t. There are always a few loud people who will make a global warming comment on a cold day, but for the most part I’ve seen more sentiment around how we stop it from a global perspective without just penalizing ourselves. There’s also a very high degree of sentiment for more nuclear power and seeing opposition to it as double speak when it comes to climate change. Essentially, if you’re truly concerned about the environmental impact of coal power, etc but you oppose nuclear then you don’t really want to solve the problem as much as push a specific agenda. IMO the recent trade deals in Europe mandating high tariffs on imports from countries who don’t have a carbon policy in place is on the right track.
seanmcdirmid 8y ago
I think the biggest opponent of climate change is simply apathy. It is not that those people don't believe in it, they just don't care. It isn't as tangible or life quality effecting in the immediate term as air pollution was. It is more like the water will rise a bit, so what? Getting Americans to take climate change seriously will require a huge undertaking.

by hobs 8y ago

eanzenberg 8y ago

Its not that they dont believe it, they just think its not that big a deal. 4ft sealevel increase in 100 years

VintageCool 8y ago
I believe that's a recent movement of the goal posts; it's still quite common among conservatives to believe that climate change is a hoax.
- eanzenberg 7y ago
  Perhaps. Climate change has been scientific since what, the 70s or 80s? Only recently have we seen repeated significant increases in the global mean temperature. This means early skeptics now are forced to choose reality vs. being a conspiracy theorist. Politicians try to appeal to their base but both sides know climate change is 1) too far into the future to matter and 2) not much impact even in the far future.
  - hobs 7y ago
    No, "both sides" absolutely don't know this. In fact - climate scientists are talking about changes that need to be made in the next decade if we want to put off major ecological collapse.

brightball 8y ago

It really didn’t. There are always a few loud people who will make a global warming comment on a cold day, but for the most part I’ve seen more sentiment around how we stop it from a global perspective without just penalizing ourselves. There’s also a very high degree of sentiment for more nuclear power and seeing opposition to it as double speak when it comes to climate change. Essentially, if you’re truly concerned about the environmental impact of coal power, etc but you oppose nuclear then you don’t really want to solve the problem as much as push a specific agenda. IMO the recent trade deals in Europe mandating high tariffs on imports from countries who don’t have a carbon policy in place is on the right track.

seanmcdirmid 8y ago

I think the biggest opponent of climate change is simply apathy. It is not that those people don't believe in it, they just don't care. It isn't as tangible or life quality effecting in the immediate term as air pollution was. It is more like the water will rise a bit, so what? Getting Americans to take climate change seriously will require a huge undertaking.