Florida:
Public Opinion
on Climate Change
T
he issue of climate change is increasingly being discussed in the media and within
political circles. Around the globe actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are being
taken at all levels of government. Florida is consistently identified as one of the regions
most vulnerable to climate change due to its extensive urban development in low lying
areas, the economic importance of tourism and agriculture, unique ecosystems and reliance on
groundwater for human consumption. Only relatively recently have legislators
proposed changes aimed at both reducing the production of greenhouse
gases in Florida and promoting proactive measures to reduce vulnerability
to what experts believe will be the inevitable impacts. The goal of this
study is to measure the perceptions of Florida residents about the causes
and consequences of climate change, and about potential solutions. The
main findings are presented here and are intended to aid policymakers,
educators, the private sector and environmental organizations in their
planning efforts in response to climate change.
Executive Summary
A representative sample of over 1,000 Floridians was
surveyed in May 2008. A large majority of the respondents
is convinced that global warming is happening (71%). Of
those, 55% believe that global warming is caused mainly
by human activities, while 32% believe it is caused mostly
by natural changes in the environment, and 13% believe
it is caused equally by humans and natural changes.
Only 43% of Floridians say they personally worry either a great
deal (10%) or a fair amount (33%) about global warming, while
57% say they worry only a little (35%) or not at all (22%). Likewise,
most Floridians believe that global warming is a greater threat to
non-human species, people, and places relatively far away, than
to themselves or other people in the state.
That is not to say, however, that Floridians believe the state
will escape unscathed. In fact, 30% believe global warming is
already having dangerous impacts on people in Florida now,
while another 35% believe these dangerous impacts will occur
within either the next 10 years (19%), or the next 25 years (16%).
More specifically, a large majority of the public in Florida believes
that during the next 50 years, global warming will cause worse
storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes (80%), droughts and water
shortages (80%), fewer fish (69%), infiltration of groundwater
supplies by salt water (68%), flooding of major cities (68%), food
shortages (68%), less tourism (64%), and increased rates of
disease (57%). Likewise, a majority (69%) believes it is somewhat
(36%) or very likely (33%) that parts of the Florida coast will need
to be abandoned due to rising sea levels over the next 50 years.
Finally, majorities believe that global warming is already causing
or making the following things worse: wildfires (66%), stronger
hurricanes (66%), coastline erosion and flooding (63%), damage
to coral reefs (61%), and more frequent hurricanes (60%).
In line with these concerns about the impacts of global warming
on the state, Floridians support more action by their elected
officials. Large majorities of respondents say that their state
legislators (66%), Governor Charlie Crist (62%), and their mayor
(56%) should be doing more to address global warming.
Support for Climate Change Policies
A majority of Floridians supports four potential state-level
policies, including:
• “Requiring electric utilities to produce at least 20% of their
electricity from wind, solar, or other renewable energy
sources, even if it cost the average household an extra
$100 a year” (65%).
FIGURE 1: PERSONALLY CONVINCED
“How convinced are you that global
warming is happening?”
50
40
30
How serious of a threat is global
warming to…?”
SOMEWHAT SERIOUS
70
50
40
18
10
11
COMPLETELY MOSTLY
NOT SO
NOT AT ALL
CONVINCED CONVINCED CONVINCED CONVINCED
30
“If global warming is happening, do you
think it is due more to normal cycles in
the Earth’s environment, more to human
activity such as burning fossil fuels, or by
both equally?”
60
30
40
32
42
28
45
27
64
64
43
21
44
20
0
PLANTS PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE
YOU
YOUR
AND
IN
IN US
IN
AND
LOCAL
ANIMALS OTHER
FLORIDA YOUR COMMUNITY
COUNTRIES
FAMILY
FIGURE 5: TIMING OF IMPACTS
“When do you think global warming
will start to have dangerous impacts
on people in Florida?”
30
19
15
10
13
16
13
10
NORMAL
CYCLES
BOTH
35
33
30
0
NOW
“How much do you worry about global
warming?”
35
25
10 YRS
25 YRS 50 YRS 100 YRS
15
NEVER
FIGURE 6: IS GLOBAL WARMING
MAKING THINGS WORSE
“Some people say that global warming
is already impacting Florida. Do you
agree or disagree that global warming
is already causing or making the
following things worse?”
22
20
14
8
5
HUMAN
ACTIVITIES
FIGURE 3: WORRY
0
70
20
32
20
5
72
25
40
10
72
10
30
55
36
41
20
FIGURE 2: CAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING
0
77
60
29
50
VERY SERIOUS
80
42
20
0
FIGURE 4: SERIOUSNESS AND
GEOGRAPHY OF IMPACTS
SOMEWHAT AGREE
STRONGLY AGREE
80
70
10
60
A GREAT
DEAL
A FAIR
AMOUNT
ONLY A
LITTLE
Over half of
Floridians
believe that
parts of the
Florida coast
may need to
be abandoned
due to rising
sea levels
over the next
50 years.
NOT AT
ALL
66
66
63
61
60
34
29
35
26
36
24
50
40
30
38
20
28
40
26
10
0
WILDFIRES STRONGER COASTLINES DAMAGE
MORE
HURRICANES ERODING/ TO CORAL FREQUENT
FLOODING REEFS HURRICANES
• “A subsidy to encourage
building owners to replace old
water heaters, air conditioners,
light bulbs, and insulation.
This subsidy would cost the
average household $5 a month
in higher taxes. Those buildings
that took advantage of the
program would save money on
their utility bills” (65%).
“In Florida, how likely do you think it is that each of the following will occur
during the next 50 years due to global warming?”
SOMEWHAT LIKELY
FIGURE 7: LIKELIHOOD OF IMPACTS ON FLORIDA
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
80
80
34
33
46
47
VERY LIKELY
80
69
68
68
36
35
34
33
33
34
69
68
64
70
60
57
50
37
36
31
33
61
40
39
25
43
35
30
22
20
44
10
17
32
11
0
WORSE STORMS DROUGHTS
HURRICANES AND WATER
TORNADOS SHORTAGES
FEWER GROUNDWATER FLOODING
FOOD
SEA LEVEL
FISH - SALT WATER OF CITIES SHORTAGES
RISE
INFILTRATION
• “Installation of solar panels on
state-owned buildings, even if
the electricity generated is significantly more expensive
than what state government normally pays for its
electricity” (63%).
• “A $2.50 surcharge on the average household’s monthly
electric bill for a special fund to help make buildings more
energy efficient and teach Floridians how to reduce their
energy use” (51%).
LESS
TOURISM
FIGURE 8: GLOBAL WARMING GOOD OR BAD
“Overall, do you think that global warming
will be very good, somewhat good,
somewhat bad, or very bad for Florida?”
50
47
40
41
30
INCREASED
RATES OF
DISEASE
MORE COMFORTABLE
WINTER
TEMPERATURES
FIGURE 11: ENERGY EFFICIENCY SUBSIDY
FOR BUILDING OWNERS
“A subsidy to encourage building owners to
replace old water heaters, air conditioners,
light bulbs, and insulation. This subsidy
would cost the average household $5 a
month in higher taxes. Those buildings that
took advantage of the program would save
money on their utility bills.”
50
20
40
41
10
Regarding potential federal policies, an even larger majority of
Floridians supports: 1) an international treaty that requires the
United States to cut its emissions of carbon dioxide by 90%
by the year 2050 (78%), and 2) transferring subsidies from the
fossil fuel industry to the renewable energy industry, even if this
makes fossil fuels more expensive and renewable energy less
expensive (76%). However, for the leading policy proposal in
the U.S. Congress, only 43% of Floridians currently support a
national system to cap and trade greenhouse gases.
0
3
8
VERY GOOD
SOMEWHAT
GOOD
30
SOMEWHAT
BAD
FIGURE 9: ADDRESSING GLOBAL WARMING
80
STATE LEGISLATORS
GOVERNOR CRIST
YOUR MAYOR
70
60
66
62
56
40
30
26 28
10
Finally, some Floridians say they are willing to make individual
lifestyle changes to reduce their own greenhouse gas
emissions. A large majority say they are likely to buy more
energy efficient appliances like refrigerators, stoves, washing
machines, and dishwashers (83%). Meanwhile, 41% say they
are likely to communicate their views on global warming to
politicians, while 39% say they are likely to join, donate money
or volunteer with an organization working on issues related to
global warming.
With regard to the 2008 Presidential election, 3% of
Floridians said global warming would be the single
most important issue in their vote for president
and 60% said it would be one of several important issues,
while 37% said it would not be an important factor in
their vote.
34
24
18
0
MORE
LESS
DOING THE
RIGHT AMOUNT
18
STRONGLY MODERATELY MODERATELY STRONGLY
SUPPORT
SUPPORT
OPPOSE
OPPOSE
FIGURE 12: SOLAR PANELS ON STATEOWNED BUILDINGS
“Installation of solar panels on state-owned
buildings, even if the electricity generated is
significantly more expensive than what state
government normally pays for its electricity.”
50
40
9 10 11
0
42
30
20
22
21
15
FIGURE 10: REQUIRE UTILITIES TO PRODUCE
20% OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES
10
“Requiring electric utilities to produce at
least 20% of their electricity from wind,
solar, or other renewable energy sources,
even if it cost the average household an
extra $100 a year.”
0
40
FIGURE 13: SPECIAL FUND FOR ENERGY
EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS
35
Individual Behavior
20
“Do you think the following political leaders
should be doing more or less to address
global warming?”
20
When asked, “How much do you trust the following groups
to tell you the truth about global warming,” large majorities of
the public trust their own family and friends (83%), followed
by scientists (82%), and environmental organizations (72%).
By contrast, fewer trust religious organizations (49%), the
news media (44%), or corporations (19%). Among politicians,
only Governor Charlie Crist is trusted to tell the truth about
global warming by a majority of Floridians (54%), compared to
Senator Barack Obama (49%), Senator John McCain (44%),
and President George W. Bush (32%).
VERY BAD
10
50
Trust
FROST
DAMAGE
TO CROPS
37
30
25
28
20
18
15
17
10
“A $2.50 surcharge on the average
household’s monthly electric bill for a
special fund to help make buildings more
energy efficient and teach Floridians how to
reduce their energy use.”
40
35
5
0
STRONGLY MODERATELY MODERATELY STRONGLY
SUPPORT
SUPPORT
OPPOSE
OPPOSE
37
30
STRONGLY
SUPPORT
MODERATELY MODERATELY STRONGLY
SUPPORT
OPPOSE
OPPOSE
25
27
20
23
15
10
14
5
0
STRONGLY MODERATELY MODERATELY STRONGLY
SUPPORT
SUPPORT
OPPOSE
OPPOSE
Almost 60% of Floridians
believe there will be
an increase in rates
of disease due to
global warming.
Conclusion
POLICY PREFERENCES AT FEDERAL LEVEL
Overall, a large majority of the public in Florida believes that
global warming is happening and caused by human activities.
Likewise, large majorities believe global warming is already or
will soon have a variety of significant impacts on the state. Yet
only slightly less than half of the public are personally worried
about climate change, likely because many believe it will
primarily impact non-human species or people far away, not
themselves or their own families. Large majorities, however, do
think Governor Crist, their state legislators, and local mayors
should be doing more to address global warming and are
broadly supportive of state and federal initiatives to reduce
local energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Finally, many say they are willing to take individual action to
reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions.
Some people say that the federal
government should act to reduce
global warming, while others say
the federal government should have
different priorities.
FIGURE 15: TRANSFER SUBSIDIES TO
RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY
“The federal government provides
approximately $5 billion a year in subsidies
to the fossil fuel industry (coal, oil, natural
gas). Some people have proposed
transferring these subsidies to the
renewable energy industry (wind, solar,
biomass, etc.) to develop cleaner forms of
energy. This would make fossil fuels more
expensive and renewable energy less
expensive. How much do you support or
oppose this proposal?”
50
40
30
43
33
20
15
10
9
0
STRONGLY MODERATELY MODERATELY STRONGLY
SUPPORT
SUPPORT
OPPOSE
OPPOSE
Methodology
FIGURE 16: CAP AND TRADE MARKET
In May 2008, 1,077 adults in
Florida aged 18 and above
were interviewed as part of a
state-wide survey conducted
by Anthony Leiserowitz (Yale
University) and Kenneth
Broad (University of Miami),
with support from the U.S.
National Science Foundation,
Decision Research, Inc. and
the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions, based
at Columbia University. The survey was fielded May 1 through
May 19 by Knowledge Networks, using a representative,
online research panel of Florida respondents. The within-panel
completion rate was 66% (see http://www.knowledgenetworks.
com/ganp/index.html for more information about the KN
methodology). The sample was weighted to correspond with
U.S. Census Bureau parameters for the state of Florida. The
margin of error for the complete set of weighted data is ±2.9%.
“How much do you support or oppose
each of the following policies?”
FIGURE 14: INTERNATIONAL TREATY
“Agreeing to an international treaty that
requires the United States to cut its
emissions of carbon dioxide 90% by the
year 2050.”
50
“A national market that allows companies
to buy and sell the right to emit the
greenhouse gasses that are said to cause
global warming. The federal government
would set a national cap on emissions.
Each company would then purchase the
right to emit a portion of this total amount.
If a company then emitted more than
its portion, it would have to buy more
emission rights from other companies or
pay large fines. In principle, how much do
you support or oppose a national market
that allows companies to buy and sell the
right to emit greenhouse gases?”
35
46
40
30
31
25
30
32
27
20
15
20
10
31
10
13
10
12
5
0
0
STRONGLY MODERATELY MODERATELY STRONGLY
SUPPORT
SUPPORT
OPPOSE
OPPOSE
STRONGLY MODERATELY MODERATELY STRONGLY
SUPPORT
SUPPORT
OPPOSE
OPPOSE
Principal Investigators
Anthony Leiserowitz
Kenneth Broad
Director
Associate Professor
Yale Project on Climate Change
School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
Yale University
Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science
and Abess Center for Ecosystem Science & Policy
University of Miami
Center for Research on Environmental Decisions
Columbia University
Co-Director
Center for Research on Environmental Decisions
Columbia University
(203) 432-4865 (office)
[email protected]
(305) 421-4851 (office)
[email protected]
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY