From April 2008 to October 2009 the percentage of Americans saying there is solid evidence of global warming has fallen from 71% to 57%. A third of the country now says there is no evidence of global warming, up from 21% last year. Views of the evidence of global warming is related to how seriously people see earth warming as a problem. Interestingly, among global warming skeptics a third still sees it as a serious problem (10% very serious, 23% somewhat serious). Roughly two-thirds of those who do not say global warming evidence exists say it is not a problem. Among the 18% of the public who say there is evidence of global warming, but that it is caused by natural phenomena a majority say it is a serious problem, with 27% saying it is a very serious problem. Americans who say global warming exists and is man made (47% of the public) are unanimous in their opinion that earth warming is a serious problem (97%), with two thirds describing it as a very serious problem. Read More

Russell Heimlich  is a former web developer at Pew Research Center.