Extreme weather more persuasive on climate change than scientists

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/dec/14/extreme-weather-climate-change-scientists


Homes left in the wake of superstorm Sandy in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Photograph: Mike Groll/AP


As one of the Marx brothers famously said: who do you believe, me or your own eyes?

Climate sceptics, it turns out, are much more likely to believe direct evidence of a changing climate in the form of extreme weather events than they do scientists, when it comes to global warming.

A poll released on Friday by the Associated Press-GfK found rising concern about climate change among Americans in general, with 80% citing it as a serious problem for the US, up from 73% in 2009. Belief and worry about climate change were rising faster still among people who do tend not to trust scientists on the environment.

Some of the doubters said in follow-up interviews that they were persuaded by personal experience: such as record temperatures, flooding of New York City subway tunnels, and news of sea ice melt in the Arctic and extreme drought in the mid-west.

[AldoLeopold]

1. Excellent

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2. !

[raouldukelives]

3. It's what swayed me.

Not that others would notice it as extreme weather but it has been changing for 20 years and in that time, it has changed extremely where I live.
I think most people who have a connection or dependence on the land noticed long ago. Its those who spend their days in climate controlled high rises and metal forests that buffer all perceptions of reality who have to be awoken. People want to believe its fake because they want to make sure the sweet money they make isn't causing them any grief. The one thing they fear the most is ownership of the conditions they have knowingly worked hard to create.

[AverageJoe90]

4. That was part of it for me as well.

Coupled, of course, with the no-nonsense approach from guys like Peter Sinclair and the Skeptical Science fellows who devote their time to actual scientific research. That's what got me to realize the truth.