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BBC Poll: UK Climate Sceptics Outnumber Believers, and Rising
There has been an increase in the number of British people who are sceptical about climate change, a poll commissioned by BBC News has suggested.
It showed that 25% of those questioned did not think global warming was happening, an increase of 10% since a similar poll was conducted in November.
The percentage of respondents who said climate change was a reality had fallen from 83% in November to 75%.
The poll, based on a sample group of 1,001 adults, was conducted by Populus.
The findings, based on interviews carried out on 3-4 February, show that only 26% of people think “climate change is happening and is now established as largely man-made”, only 1% more than those who think there is no global warming.
In November 2009, a similar poll by Populus – commissioned by the Times newspaper – showed that 41% agreed that climate change was happening and it was largely the result of human activities.
“It is very unusual indeed to see such a dramatic shift in opinion in such a short period,” Populus managing director Michael Simmonds told BBC News.
“The British public are sceptical about man’s contribution to climate change – and becoming more so,” he added.
“More people are now doubters than firm believers.”
BBC News website: Climate scepticism ‘on the rise’, BBC poll shows