Massachusetts’s residents believe that global warning is real, and are concerned about climate change – but, on the whole, most don't consider it their top priority.
The report released Wednesday by MassINC and the MassINC Polling Group, indicates that despite widespread belief that the effects of global warming -- such as coastal erosion and sea level rise -- are already in progress, Bay Staters are more concerned about the economy, education, and healthcare.
The report, titled "Looking For Leadership", showed two-thirds of Massachusetts residents believe global warming is real and caused in part by human activity, and that three-quarters of residents anticipate more serious problems.
Despite this concern, however, climate change is still not a high priority.
Steve Koczela, president of the MassINC Polling Group, says the study suggests that belief in climate change alone is not enough to motivate people to advocate for action.
"I think it’s more that they are willing to support policy that will affect global warming, policy that would prevent the worst effects of global warming and stem the tides, so to speak, but are less willing to do things themselves about it or to take up pitchforks and demand such policy be implemented," Koczela said.
According to the study, residents support broad policy ideas to combat global warming, including some that would require government funding, and they are even willing to foot the bill.
Nearly three-quarters of residents said they are willing to pay $5 more a month for energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Significant majorities also support improving the public transit to reduce car travel.
While four in ten think fighting climate change should be a top priority for state government, that figure is far lower than for issues surrounding job development, education reform and reducing the costs of healthcare.
There's a passive quality to people's responses on how to address climate change, and Koczela said that's why they titled the report "Looking for Leadership".
"Any political leader would rather see a groundswell -- would rather lead the parade than have to do something about it without sort of popular uprising. And that's the situation here," Koczela explained. "If something's going to be done about this at the political level, it's going to need to be done without the strong demands of the majority of constituents."
Massachusetts isn't unusual: MassINC's findings are consistent with national surveys on the belief in global warming and support for government action.
The survey of 1,004 Massachusetts residents raised many of the same questions from a 2011 MassINC survey on the topic, and found belief in global warming has held steady since then.
