The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track planetary extreme, or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😉
Main Topic: Increasingly Up to 70% of U.S. Population Favor Steps to Reduce Climate Change
Dear Diary. I have some good news today. It appears that more people across all age brackets and of all political stripes want something to be done about climate change according to a new CBS poll:
The best step to reduce carbon pollution is to demand that electricity be produced from renewable sources. Coal and gas fired plants must be replaced by solar and wind farms. People should be out protesting for this change, which should include making favorable tax incentives for industry to relinquish generating electricity from fossil fuels.
The next step will be hard for many, but public mass transit must be central for good change. People must ditch their cars in favor of buses and trains to go to work. Better still, working from home would be an improvement. We learned more about what is possible from home during the Covid years from 2020-2022. The public should demand that buses and trains be powered by electricity with the switch to renewable energy happening as soon as possible. If one must use cars or trucks, get EVs. Financially, that is a hard step, but state and the federal government should make tax incentives for a good switch to carbon neutral vehicles.
Inside the house gas furnaces and stoves should be replaced by electric furnaces and stoves. Insulation should be checked so that energy won’t be wasted. There are many other changes inside the house for individuals to improve their carbon footprint such as plastic use, but these two steps are the most important in my opinion.
Outside we must go green, green, green. Areas not in use should become wild again. Forests should be expanded via state and local funds. There should be massive urban tree and shrub plantings even on buildings. People should become one with nature again.
Here is that new CBS poll:
CBS News poll finds big majority of Americans support U.S. taking steps to reduce climate change
By Jennifer De Pinto, Anthony Salvanto, Fred Backus
April 21, 2024 / 9:00 AM EDT / CBS News
Record heat, hurricanes, wildfires all have been making news in recent years. And while not everyone agrees events like these are the direct result of climate change, they do connect to peoples’ opinions about it: a big majority of Americans feel the U.S. needs to address climate change, with those who report experiencing extreme weather more likely to say we should do so right now.
Views on climate change have long been associated with partisanship, and they still are, but age is a factor, too. Younger Americans, including younger Republicans, are even more likely to say the U.S. needs to take steps to at least try to slow it.
There’s a sense of urgency from many in the public, too. A large majority think it needs to be addressed at least in the next few years, including half who think it needs to be addressed right now.
There’s the sense that we should address climate change, and there’s also some belief that we can.
That extends down to the personal level, too. Most Americans believe humans can do something to at least slow the effects of climate change, and those who think so feel they personally have a responsibility to do something about it.
Extreme weather and climate change
People who report having experienced extreme weather in their area in recent years — which is half the country — are more inclined than those who haven’t to believe climate change is a major factor contributing to extreme weather, and more of them see the issue as one that needs to be addressed right away.
And even if people don’t experience the extreme weather themselves, such events can spark concern. When people hear about the earth experiencing the warmest temperatures on record, more than half say it makes them more concerned about climate change. Those who don’t see climate change as a factor in extreme weather are less persuaded by this, including some who don’t believe that the earth’s temperature is rising.
Younger people and the political divides on climate change
Majorities across all age groups favor the U.S. taking steps to address climate change, but it’s people under age 45 — many who say they were taught about climate change in school — who are especially likely to be in support of the country taking action.
There have long been political divisions on addressing climate change, with Democrats expressing more concern than Republicans. These continue today, to some extent. Democrats are more than twice as likely as Republicans to say climate change needs to be addressed right now. And Democrats overwhelmingly support the U.S. taking steps to reduce climate change, but Republicans are divided on that.
Divisions in the GOP on climate?
The divides within the rank and file GOP we see are along age and ideological lines. Most younger Republicans — those under age 45 — support the U.S. taking steps slow or stop climate change, while most older Republicans do not
More moderate Republicans also see climate change as more pressing than those who are more conservative.
And like the public overall, Republicans who report having experienced extreme weather in their local area are more likely to think climate change needs to be addressed.
This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,230 U.S. adult residents interviewed between April 16-19, 2024. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, and education based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as past vote. The margin of error is ±2.7 points.
More:
Here are more “ET’s” recorded from around the planet the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
Here is some March and April 2024 climatology:
Here is More Climate News from Tuesday:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article. The most noteworthy items will be listed first.)