The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The world’s governments, including the U.S., officially recognized the reality of climate change and the need for action. Since that time, scientists, climate activists, concerned politicians, and educators have issued a series of increasingly dire warnings about the negative consequences of climate change. These warnings have had some effect.

The reality of climate change has been accepted by most Americans.  Recent polling shows that approximately 70% of our population believes that climate change is occurring and 62% that humans are the main cause. These numbers have risen substantially over the last year.

But 30% of Americans still do not believe that climate change is real, nearly 40% do not accept that human activity is responsible, and fossil fuels still supply 80% of global energy.  Why do so many remained unconvinced, and why are people not doing more to solve the problem?

Our CSU panelists will discuss the gap between compelling scientific evidence of a problem and lack of action.  After twenty-six years of news reports about the impacts of climate change on floods, hurricanes, and wildfires, why are we STILL debating whether climate change is real, whether it is human-caused, and whether we can and should do anything about it?

Where: Avogadro’s Number (605 S Mason Street Fort Collins, Colorado 80524) from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Free of charge and open to the public

Panelists:

• Pat Aloise-Young, Department of Psychology
• Scott Denning, Department of Atmospheric Science
• Stephanie Malin, Department of Sociology
• Rebecca Niemiec, Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources

Moderator: Gene Kelly, Assistant Director for Research and Development at SoGES, Deputy Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station and Associate Dean of Extension.