I don’t usually like to make generalizations about cities, but I do have a fondness for surveys, and New Yorkers have a reputation for being opinionated. Researchers from Yale and Columbia asked a thousand New Yorkers from all five boroughs to give their opinions for a survey on climate change. Here are some of their results:
* A large majority of New Yorkers are convinced that global warming is happening (78%), and of that number, 82 percent believe that global warming is caused mainly by human activities or caused equally by humans and natural changes.
* A majority of New Yorkers (60%) say they are personally worried about global warming. Further, 22 percent believe that global warming is already having dangerous impacts on the city while an additional 30 percent believe dangerous impacts are imminent within the next 10 years.
* Large majorities of New Yorkers believe that global warming will cause more heat waves (85%); energy blackouts (79%); worse storms, hurricanes and tornadoes (79%); increased rates of disease (72%); and flooding of subways, tunnels and airports (70%).
* Finally, a majority (69%) say it is likely that parts of New York City will need to be abandoned due to rising sea levels over the next 50 years.
The survey also found that New Yorkers would be willing to pay more to get their energy from renewable sources, and to make buildings more energy-efficient.
I’m not sure if this survey shows that New Yorkers are either more aware, or more anxious, about threats to their city. It’s surprising that a majority thinks some of New York will be inhabitable in 50 years, during an age when science thinks it can engineer its way through anything.
How do you think people in your city, or town, feel about global warming? Do they think it’s real? Do they think it will affect them, personally?
As an Ex-Phoexian (I used to live in Phoenix) I can tell you that it used to be about 10 degrees cooler. The heating has been caused by urbanization where concrete, and buildings and other factors, absord the radiation of the Sun and reradiated during the day. On 115 degrees days, you can feel the radiation from the concrete sidewalks as you walk. Just because people believe does not make it a scientific fact. The scientist of the middle ages believed that the Earth was the center of the universe and the “World was flat”. Just because a majority of the scientist say so didn’t make it a scientific fact. Proof beyond a shadow of a doubt is needed.
You’re describing what’s called the urban heat island. That’s what happens when cities replace soil, plants and trees with roads, buildings and parking lots. Cities absorb more heat during the day and release it at night. It’s a separate phenomena, but not unconnected to global warming.
Scientists are studying how to mitigate the urban heat island effect. Global warming is expected to increase the heat in cities, and we’ll be experiencing more heat waves. More heat will make us turn up our air conditioners, causing us to use more fossil fuels - the well-known cause of global warming - and adding their excess energy to the outside heat.
Of course, what Phoenix is probably most worried about is the severe drought that’s expected to become permanent. And this is a fact (meaning you can go there and see it) Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the country, and a huge water source for the southwest, is half full. That trend is echoed in Lake Powell, the major water source for Phoenix, also experiencing record low levels.
“Proof” and “facts” are negotiable words, but as far as reasons to worry and take whatever steps necessary to mitigate the forces strongly suspected to cause this drought - that’s beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Lindsay, I find it interesting that so many New Yorkers are aware of the reality of global warming. I wonder if other Americans are as aware, or less aware.
I wonder what similar surveys would show in other parts of the country …
Clearly, there is still a large amount of misinformation about global warming out there. To deny this reality as this point … whew! It’s hard to understand.
Deborah
I ,A RESIDENT OF INDIA,HAVE LESS IDEA OF THESE CLIMATIC CHANGES IN NEW YORK OR USA,BUT HERE I HEAR URBANISATION AND GREENHOUSE EFFECT IS LEADING THE WORLD TO NEXT ICE AGE.SO I AM INTERESTED TO CLARIFY THE DOUBT WHETHER MY KNOWLEDGE IS TRUE.