Poll: Republicans may be warming to climate change

What NOAA and NASA said last week, in independent analyses, was that global temperatures in 2014 were highest since temperatures were first recorded – more than 100 years ago in 1880. Nine of the ten warmest years on record have occurred since 2000.  Most Americans seem to have accepted these data. Those data and the analyses by these agencies may even have changed minds about the existence and the causes of climate change.  More today than just a month ago believe climate change is taking place and is caused by human activity.  Most of that change has come from Republicans: just 27% accepted that a month ago, now 42% agree…

There also appears to be a greater urgency in the need to address climate change. Two-thirds, including a majority of Republicans, say the world’s most developed countries have a greater responsibility than less developed countries to control greenhouse gases, and similar percentages also agree that developed countries have a responsibility to help poorer nations with the effects of climate change. Last month, Republicans were divided on both questions. Only 40% of Republicans said there was a responsibility to help poorer countries with the effects of climate change.  Now, 53% agree.