Gallup Poll Shows Rising Concern Over Global Warming

After a span of recent skepticism, Americans concerned with global warming is once again on the rise, according to a Gallup poll.

Specifically, when asked if he or she worried "a great deal/a fair amount" regarding the phenomenon, 58 percent said yes, compared to 55 percent in 2012, 51 percent in 2011 and 52 percent in 2009.

This does represent, however, a smaller percentage than during the mid-2000s when numbers hovered in the mid-60s.

Breaking down this year's poll further, 33 percent of Americans said they worry "a great deal," 25 percent "a fair amount," 20 percent "only a little," and 23 percent "not at all."

The single highest year in terms of concern between 1989 and 2013, was in 2000 when 72 percent said they worried about global warming either a great deal or a fair amount.

The average percentage for this same time period (1989 - 2013) was just under 60 percent.

Similarly, the same poll found that 54 percent of Americans today believe the effects of global warming have already begun - a number in keeping with the average in Gallup trends since 1997. The year 2008 saw the highest point for this category when a total of 61 percent said they believed it was underway.

Currently, the poll shows a total of 27 percent who believe global warming will take place at a future time and 27 who believe it never will.

What's more, of those who believe global warming is in fact a reality, 57 percent polled said they believe it is the result of human causes - just 4 points lower than the all-time high of 61 percent in both 2007 and 2003. 

Finally, a total of 64 percent said they believed global warming would pose a serious threat to their way of life during their lifetime.

One possibility for this wax and wane is the release of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" in 2006, and the subsequent response by conservatives aimed at undermining the movie and Gore's research through publicizing the opinion of scientists who did not believe global warming is caused by human activity.

According to Gallup, a forthcoming analysis will focus on examining trends on attitudes toward global warming by partisanship.