The reduction in concern regarding climate change appears to be a worldwide phenomenon, with a select few areas still expressing similar concern from before. A recent study by the Nielson/Oxford University found that concerns surrounding global warming are still the greatest concern in such areas as Latin America and countries in Asia-Pacific, including the Philippines.

However, eastern European countries were found to have the lowest concern for global warming. Recent polls in the United States have found that global warming has not dropped to so low a standing as eastern European countries, though there is an increasing lack of worry regarding climate change.

A new Gallop poll performed earlier in March found that the majority of Americans think global warming is exaggerated. Forty-eight percent believe climate change is exaggerated, which is seven percentage points higher than in 2009. This is drastically above the thirty-one percent from 1997.

In addition, nineteen percent of those polled believe the consequences of global warming will never happen. Sixteen percent believe any consequences that do occur will not occur in their lifetime. This poll included 1,014 adults from across the United States and has a margin of error of plus or minus four percent.

This skepticism may impact legislation passing in the United States and other locations in which skepticism is rising due to politicians not wanting to upset voters in their areas.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) performed a study to determine what would happen to the climate surrounding large wind turbine installations. The study resulted in the researchers determining that large wind turbine installations are actually capable of raising temperatures.

The researchers studied climates surrounding wind turbine installations on land and sea. They found that when wind contributed ten percent of the worldwide demand for energy, it caused a temperature increase on land of approximately 1 degree Celsius.

The researchers discovered that with installations at sea, the same amount of wind energy produced resulted in a decrease in temperature of 1 degree Celsius. Overall, the results are due to wind turbines reducing wind in the area of the installations. Such reduction in wind speed in the respective areas causes the land to warm due to the reduced cooling effect of the wind.

The researchers hope that this study will cause other more elaborate studies to take place, they do not want to support the reduction of wind power use. Ron Prinn, a professor of Atmospheric Science, stated: “We’re not pessimistic about wind. We haven’t absolutely proven this effect, and we’d rather see that people do further research.“ However, they have stated that using large amounts of wind energy may prove expensive due to the unpredictable nature of wind.

Carbon dioxide levels have increased at least by a third since the Industrial Era began in the 1800s. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions have been steadily increasing since, and in recent years have been shown to be drastically increasing. However, the recent economic downturn across the globe had been slated to reduce emissions, especially in combination with climate change efforts going on worldwide.

However, recent results of measurements performed at Norway’s Zeppelin station located on the Arctic Svalbard archipelago indicates that emissions have not slowed. During early March of 2009, carbon dioxide levels were at 393.17 and during the same time period in 2010 levels were at 393.71.

Johan Stroem from the Norwegian Polar Institute stated: “Looking back at the data we have from Zeppelin since the end of the 1980s it seems like the increase is accelerating.” This sentiment is common amongst climate change scientists. Not only is an increase a concern for the planet overall, it is even more alarming due to previous expectations of a slow-down due to the economy.

In addition, the carbon levels for Svalbard are not at their peak levels as of yet. The levels are at their highest in April, when plants which have rotted release their stores of carbon. Stroem has suggested that the increase in concentrations, especially in the Arctic, may be due to dwindling ice. The decrease in ice allows for more plant growth and therefore more rotting plants. While the plants growth may absorb carbon and hide further emission escalations, when they rot it will cause a spike in emissions.

In order to acknowledge this issue, the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to include the oceans bordering coastal states in the Clean Water Act. Acidity issues have been previously addressed at the state level involving lakes and rivers. However, to date the oceans bordering states have not been considered part of the Clean Water Act.

In order to address this discrepancy in the Clean Water Act, the Center for Biological Diversity sued the EPA regarding the state of Washington. The recent announcement by the EPA to consider having the coastal states include ocean acidity is the result of the lawsuit.

An attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, Miyoko Sakashita, stated: “It’s one of the most important threats to water quality right now. It’s affecting waters around the world, and it’s particularly stark in the waters off the West Coast.”

If states begin controlling ocean acidity, many believe states will have to be stricter in controlling fossil fuel emissions and carbon dioxide emissions from other sources. This has caused many opponents to surface once the lawsuit ended in favor of the Center for Biological Diversity. The American Petroleum Institute believes it will impact oil and gas companies on the coasts if they have to reduce emissions further.

A statement released by the EPA stated: “Protection of the nation’s water quality, including the health of our ocean waters, is among EPA’s highest priorities. EPA is interested in learning more about how to protect our ocean and coastal waters from acidification.”