When Dr. Toby Bolson and Dr. Risa Palm showed South Floridians future expected flood zone maps of their homes, they thought they would be more supportive of policies and laws designed to mitigate the pace and extent of climate change. Residents didn’t. “There was actually a decline in those who believe it is happening and will have an impact on their home values,” according to Dr. Palm.
In a book published by Springer, GSU’s political scientist Dr. Bolson and urban geographer Dr. Palm describe the results of a detailed survey of 1,000 residents of South Florida where they were shown a map displaying flooding of their community following a Category 3 hurricane in 2033. The book discusses how political party identification and ideology can have an overwhelming impact on views about climate change.
“We must find a way to counteract both the suspicion that the information coming out about climate change is politically motivated and the resistance to new information. It is urgent that we come up with more effective strategies to convince skeptics,” Dr. Palm told GSU News. “The nation and the world are at risk.”
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