Aside from diehard deniers, most are conscious of climate change

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part from a small number of diehard deniers, most people are perfectly aware that we have a serious problem with climate change.

The public is just confused by a bombardment of contradictory statements pushed in the media, but probably that all what is needed to change the terms of the debate is just a push in the right direction.

Ugo Bardi.

The Pope's encyclic on climate - expected for this week (this was written by the Pope spoke) - could do just that, reaching a "tipping point" in the general perception of the problem.

After the tipping point, a consensus may be reached that the idea that climate change doesn't exist or is not caused by human activity is not just wrong, but positively dangerous for society.

Something comparable to such ideas as - say - that there is really no evidence that smoking causes cancers, that wearing a seat belt while riding a car is useless, and that crack is no more dangerous than coffee as a recreational drug.

Of course, we can't be sure that the Pope's encyclic will have this effect; but, suppose it does, then what can we expect to happen? Optimistically, we could think that most of the work is done and that, from then on, something serious and effective will be done to stop global warming. Unfortunately, things will not be so easy.

Read the latest posting on the Cassandra Blog by Ugo Bardi - “The coming "tipping point" of the climate perception: enough to solve the problem?”