I have a guest post up at the Lowy Interpreter on the results of the latest Lowy Poll of public opinion in Australia. I was asked to discuss the poll results related to climate change.
Here is an excerpt:
The 2012 Lowy Poll shows that only 36% of those surveyed agreed with the statement that ‘Global warming is a serious and pressing problem. We should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs.’ Back in 2006, one year before Kevin Rudd elevated the climate issue to national and international prominence, 68% of those surveyed agreed with that same statement, almost twice as many.
But have Australians really gone cold on climate change? The 2012 Lowy Poll shows that 55% surveyed say that their concern about climate change is unchanged since debate on the issue began in Australia, while 38% report being more concerned. Only 7% express a decrease in concern.
How can we reconcile these apparently contradictory positions?
For the answer, please head over to the Lowy Interpreter for the whole post, and please feel free to come back here and comment or ask questions.
“How can we reconcile these apparently contradictory positions?”
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There is most likely no conflict. The people currently answering the poll don’t remember (or care) how they answered it the last time.
Most people are “rationally ignorant”.