More Americans believe in global warming; Republicans lag

University of Michigan chart; click on the image to enlarge it.

The percentage of Americans who believe in global warming is at a 10-year high, and more than ever believe human activity has caused or increased it, according to new polling by the University of Michigan and Muhlenberg College. A record high in their joint polling efforts, 60 percent, say they see some level of human influence and 34 percent say humans have a direct influence on the climate, Ben Geman reports for Axios. The percentage who see "solid evidence" of global warming is 73 percent, about the same as it was a decade ago; that number dipped into the low 50's and mid-60s between 2009 and 2015.

However, the gulf between the attitudes of Democrats and Republicans is as wide as it has been in this poll since 2008. Among Democrats, 90 percent believe there is solid evidence of global warming and 78 percent believe humans are at least partially responsible. Among Republicans only 50 percent believe in global warming and 35 percent believe humans have an effect on it.