Climate Change Seen as Top Global Threat

[bemildred]

Source: Pew

In advance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris this December, many publics around the world name global climate change as a top threat, according to a new Pew Research Center survey measuring perceptions of international challenges. This is particularly true in Latin America and Africa, where majorities in most countries say they are very concerned about this issue. But as the Islamic militant group ISIS maintains its hold in Iraq and Syria and intensifies its grisly public executions, Europeans and Middle Easterners most frequently cite ISIS as their main concern among international issues.

Global economic instability also figures prominently as the top concern in a number of countries, and it is the second biggest concern in half of the countries surveyed. In contrast, concerns about Iran’s nuclear program as well as cyberattacks on governments, banks or corporations are limited to a few nations. Israelis and Americans are among the most concerned about Iran’s nuclear program, while South Koreans and Americans have the greatest concern about cyberattacks relative to other publics. And apprehension about tensions between Russia and its neighbors, or territorial disputes between China and surrounding countries, largely remain regional concerns.

These are among the findings of a new Pew Research Center survey, conducted in 40 countries among 45,435 respondents from March 25 to May 27, 2015. The report focuses on those who say they are “very concerned” about each issue.1


Read more: http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/07/14/climate-change-seen-as-top-global-threat/

[xocet]

1. Unless One is a Republican - In that Case, It is Just a Bunch of Scientists Trying to Get Funded....

July 14, 2015
Climate Change Seen as Top Global Threat
Americans, Europeans, Middle Easterners Focus on ISIS as Greatest Danger

By Jill Carle

...

Global climate change ranks substantially lower as a comparative global threat for Americans, with 42% saying they are very concerned about the issue. The only global issue that is even less worrying to Americans: territorial disputes between China and its neighbors (30%). Much like in Europe, perceptions in the U.S. about the threat of climate change depend on ideology. About six-in-ten Democrats (62%) are very concerned about climate change, while just 20% of Republicans say the same.

...

http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/07/14/climate-change-seen-as-top-global-threat/

[bemildred]

2. Yep, the goobers.

"The only global issue that is even less worrying to Americans: territorial disputes between China and its neighbors (30%)."

Which is not a global issue at all. You have to wonder about the questions.

But at least they are asking about it. And you have to admit that climate change is definitely a global issue.

I'm not so much worried that we know it is going to go bad as that we don't know what it's going to do, and we are destabilizing it more all the time. Unpredictable weather is back.

[Recursion]

3. A disruption to the Indian Ocean monsoon would starve 2.5 billion people

who are living in three nuclear powers.

Anyone who can't see the security implications there has no business talking about security.

[Uncle Joe]

4. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, bemildred.

[ananda]

5. I guess "publics" are people.

It makes me wonder whether this is some sort of literal translation on some level.

[bemildred]

6. I think it is intended to be the plural of "public", each country has its own "public".

And since "public" is a singular noun: one says "the public is", not "the public are", so I'm not sure it's an error.

[hunter]

7. We need to stop thinking about this as a "future" thing.

It's happening now. It will get worse. Here in California the redwood trees and the orchards are suffering. Entire communities are without water.

Worldwide, species are becoming extinct at an accelerating rate. Deserts are expanding.

Is it human made climate change? Who knows? It's a statistical thing, all the numbers are not in yet.

It seems like our "leaders" won't notice until they lose their beach houses to the sea, the corpses of starved climate change refugees and displaced wildlife are blocking the gates of their estates, and maybe not until their previously faithful servants drag them away to the guillotine.

The pressures of climate change and human overpopulation are already intense in many places. The uber-wealthy and their political pawns have mostly isolated themselves from this cruel reality, but the bubbles they live in won't last.

[bemildred]

8. +1.

Yet another civilization collapses from ecological exaustion because it is too stupid to manage its resource use and population.

[olddad56]

9. Duh.

[november3rd]

10. Wow.

The corporate media propaganda spin has really been working on the American public, as usual. Not only is climate change second to last, but the nonexistent Iranian nuclear threat is first!