A new survey of Southwest Floridian’s attitudes about global warming found that most residents believe climate change is real, is happening now, and the impacts will be felt by future generations.
The poll, called the 2022 Climate Metrics Survey of Southwest Florida, is a follow-up to a similar poll conducted back in 2018 by Growing Climate Solutions. It's a coalition of environmental advocates, organizations and other stakeholders in Southwest Florida who are working to inform and prepare the community for impacts caused by climate change.
Overall, the poll found 68% of residents surveyed believed climate change was real…whether it was manmade or natural. Yet this number dropped since 2018, where 75% believed climate change was happening and 71% of people were personally concerned about it.
The survey also included questions on political affiliation and found many Republicans and some independents in the Southwest Florida region are less concerned about effects of a warming planet, and less supportive of possible solutions. They say they are more worried about the economy than the ecology.
GUESTS:
- Dr. Ana Puszkin-Chevlin, Regional Director, Growing Climate Solutions – Path to Positive
- Dr. Mike Savarese, Professor in the Department of Marine & Earth Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University
