Rise of the climate change sceptics: More than a third of people now think global warming claims are exaggerated



Just 22% are in favour of green taxes - compared with 31% a decade ago

54% thought air pollution was a huge problem in 2000 - but just 28% now think it is an issue



Britain is becoming a nation of climate change sceptics with more than a third of people thinking that global warming claims are exaggerated, a survey has revealed.

Just 24 per cent of people thought scientists were overstating the problem in 2000 - but that figure has now soared to 37 per cent.



And although 54 per cent regarded air pollution from cars as 'very' or 'extremely' dangerous to the environment 11 years ago, it had declined to 28 per cent last year.

Rise of the climate change sceptics: Declining fears of global warming have come as Britain has experienced a series of freezing winter. Here workmen clear snow in Glasgow today

The recession is thought to be one of the primary reasons behind the growth in climate change scepticism - with people worried about making ends meet than protecting the environment.

The figures, published in the annual British Social Attitudes report, also suggested Britons are fed up of having green taxes slapped on their utilities bills.

While in 2000 31 per cent supported green levies, in the new study just 22 per cent said they are in favour.

There is also little support for the type of road tolls being considered by ministers – less than one in five believe drivers should pay more to use busy roads.

The author of the report, Eleanor Taylor, said there was evidence we are turning ‘a paler shade of green’.

However, the survey found there had been a big increase in number of people who recycle – more than doubled to 86 per cent since 1993.

Climate change scepticism: 37% now think environmental threats are exaggerated - while only 28% now regard air pollution from cars as a danger

Ms Taylor, the report author, wrote: 'Economic recovery, if and when it comes, may serve to restore flagging public interest in tackling environmental challenges – especially if it restores people’s willingness to accept more of the personal cost implications.'

She also said that 'climate change fatigue' may have set in - with people ignoring the repeated warnings.

The growth in climate change scepticism have come as freezing British winters have brought heavy snowfall.



A vast majority of scientists support the view that climate change is man-made and will lead to a rise in sea levels and more frequent severe weather events such as drought.



Threats: Table shows that pollution and rising temperatures are seen as a big problem by a declining number of people. While 51% saw rising temperatures as a problem in1993, this has fallen to 43% last year

But scandals like Climategate - which came after damaging e-mails from the University of East Anglia were leaked in November 2009 - have led to increased scepticism among the general public.

There have also been setbacks for climate change advocates over flaws in UN reports on global warming and evidence that temperatures across the world have been falling.



The only group among whom scepticism has not increased are university graduates, the 2010 poll of 3,297 people found.



Across the board, only 43 per cent of people now believe climate change is dangerous for the environment – down from 51 per cent in 1993.



A similar proportion believe we worry too much about the future of the environment and not enough about prices and jobs today – up from 36 per cent.



Just 64 per cent agree that car use has a serious effect on climate change – down from 77 per cent just five years earlier.