Hurricane Katrina
One Year On
Americans See Link Between
Katrina & Global Warming
Poll Shows People Convinced
that Global Warming is Real
During the week leading up to the August 29 anniversary of Hurricane
Katrina slamming into New Orleans and the Gulf, the National Wildlife
Federation is providing information on several perspectives of the lessons
learned from that national disaster.
Majorities of Democrats,
Independents and Republicans
Express Mounting Concern
over Global Warming
A Zogby International poll of 1,018 likely voters released today shows that
not only are American’s more convinced that global warming is happening than
they were two years ago, but they are also linking recent intense weather
events like Hurricane Katrina, this summer’s heat wave and droughts to
global warming.
The findings are not a scientific assertion that weather events are the result
of global warming. They do show people are making the connection between
global warming and the more intense weather events they experience and hear
about.
Here are the poll highlights:
Three-fourths of American voters (74
percent) are more convinced today that global warming is happening than they
were two years ago. Only one is five say they are less convinced global
warming is occurring.
The numbers of people more convinced
global warming is happening cuts across all demographic segments including
region of the country, age, religion, racial background, gender and income
group.
Majorities of Democrats (87 percent),
Independents (82 percent) and Republicans (56 percent) said they are now
somewhat or much more convinced that global warming is happening than they
were two years ago.
“Global warming isn’t about right or left, it’s
about right or wrong,” said Larry Schweiger, National Wildlife Federation
president. “American’s believe we have a moral responsibility to confront
global warming to protect our children’s future.”
Almost 70 percent of those surveyed
believe that global warming has had a major or some influence on recent
weather events: hurricanes like Katrina 68 percent; more frequent droughts 69
percent; less snowfall 68 percent; this summer’s heat wave 65 percent; more
wildfires 58 percent.
72 percent of those polled agree that
addressing global warming by requiring industries to reduce their green house
gas emissions can improve the environment without harming the economy. This is
up 5 percent from the same question asked three years ago.
When reviewed in total, this poll indicates that a growing majority of
Americans, across all demographic categories, and political persuasions,
recognize global warming as a threat that we must address.
Experts
available to discuss issues related to the 1st anniversary of
Hurricane Katrina:
Global Warming
Jerome Ringo – Chair of the Board of National Wildlife
Federation; President of the Apollo Alliance; cited by The Nation
magazine in July as “the most interesting environmentalist in the United
States;” resident of Lake Charles, La.; actively involved in post-Katrina
efforts to aid evacuees; he and his family were subsequently displaced for
several weeks after Hurricane Rita; available to speak about local and
regional impacts of global warming, including the connection between
hurricanes and climate change, and implications for coastal communities.
Contact: Ben McNitt, NWF Communications: 202-797-6855,
mcnitt@nwf.org
Larry Schweiger – President/CEO, National Wildlife
Federation; co-chairman of the Alliance for Climate Protection; available to
speak about efforts to educate the public about the effects of global warming
on communities and wildlife habitat in the wake of Hurricane Katrina; also
available to discuss grassroots movement to demand federal and state solutions
to global warming.
Jeremy Symons -- Director, Global Warming and Wildlife
Campaign, National Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC; former Climate Policy
Advisor to Christine Todd Whitman at the Environmental Protection Agency;
represented EPA as a member of Vice President Cheney’s Energy Task Force
working group in 2001; named one of Capitol Hill’s seven most influential
global warming lobbyists in 2006 by The Hill newspaper; available to
discuss legislative efforts and policy implications of global warming since
Hurricane Katrina.
National Water Projects & Corps of
Engineers
David Conrad – Senior Water Resource Specialist, National
Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC; nationally-recognized water policy
expert, author of Higher Ground and Crossroads, two reports
analyzing National Flood Insurance Program and Army Corps of
Engineers projects and their impacts on ecosystems and communities. Particular
expertise on Mississippi River projects, New Orleans levee breaks and related
damage from Hurricane Katrina.
Adam Kolton – Senior Director of Congressional and Federal
Affairs, National Wildlife Federation, Washington, D.C.; recognized by The
Hill newspaper as one of Washington’s most influential conservation
lobbyists; available to discuss efforts to pass national water policies to
improve U.S. Army Corps of Engineers practices in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina.
Restoration of Coastal Louisiana
Susan Kaderka – Director, National Wildlife Federation Gulf
States Office, Austin, TX; water policy expert; available to discuss
ecological impacts of Hurricane Katrina and subsequent efforts to pass
legislation to fully fund coastal Louisiana restoration.
Randy Lanctot, Executive Director, Louisiana Wildlife
Federation; available to speak about Hurricane Katrina’s impact on Louisiana
wildlife and habitats.
Katrina Wildlife Impacts in Mississippi
Don Jackson -- fisheries biologist, Mississippi State
University; President of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation; knowledgeable
about coastal and inland fisheries with particular expertise in impacts from
Hurricane Katrina.
Contact: 662-325-7493; djackson@cfr.msstate.edu
