Dog doo scarier than global warming

The Beeb reports of ‘Scepticism’ over climate claims.

The public believes the effects of global warming on the climate are not as bad as politicians and scientists claim, a poll has suggested. The Ipsos Mori poll of 2,032 adults - interviewed between 14 and 20 June - found 56% believed scientists were still questioning climate change.

There was a feeling the problem was exaggerated to make money, it found.

… The survey suggested that terrorism, graffiti, crime and dog mess were all of more concern than climate change.

The guy from the research house says a significant number have many doubts about exactly how serious climate change really is, believing it to be over-hyped, and having been influenced by counter-arguments.

Note the BBC puts “scepticism” in scare quotes, as if it lacks intellectual credibility. It adds a dramatic picture of an iceberg, presumably just busy melting spectacularly. It quotes not those who made the surprisingly influential counter-arguments, nor those who were persuaded by them, but gives space only to the climate scientists who protest that people shouldn’t be so influenced. How dare the plebs listen to counter-arguments and make up their own minds?

The lesson here is not only that the BBC has made up its collective (ha ha) mind already and is willing to colour news articles accordingly, but also that people tend to make pretty sophisticated risk analyses and cost-benefit comparisons. There are many problems in the world we do understand and can solve. There are solutions we can afford that will definitely save thousands or  even millions of lives in the near term. It’s good to see “the public” sets its priorities accordingly.

(Hat tip: Rory Freeman)