CNN Data Guru Delivers Harsh News to Climate Activists: Your Message ‘Has Not Really Worked’

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten delivered a harsh message to climate activists on Wednesday, observing that they’ve failed to persuade the American public of much over the last few decades.

After noting that billionaire activist Bill Gates has softened his tone about climate change in recent days by acknowledging that it may not threaten humanity’s existence, anchor John Berman prompted Enten to discuss the public’s views of the threat posed by climate change.

” Yeah, I think a lot of people will agree with Bill Gates that maybe this wouldn’t be the end of humanity. And I think, you know, we’ve been talking about climate change now for decades, upon decades, upon decades. And the worry in terms of climate change, simply put, hasn’t shifted, it has not reached the majority of Americans,” mused Enten. “What are we talking about? Greatly worried about climate. You go all the way back to 1989, it was 35%. 2000, 40%.  2020, 46%. And in 2025, look at that, it’s 40%. The same number as we had 25 years ago, back in 2000, and then only just five points higher than we had back in 1989, really we’ve just seen consistency on this issue. The bottom line is that the climate change message that folks who, of course, believe that climate change is real and is quite worrisome, simply put, has not really worked with the American people.”

“You say greatly worried. I mean, so people say they’re greatly worried 40%, but how worried, really? Is it the biggest thing they’re worried about?” followed up Berman.

“Yeah, it is not anywhere close to being the biggest thing that people are worried about,” replied Enten before diving in:

 What are we talking about here? Well, why don’t we just talk about top issue facing the U.S., climate change. Well, I got some numbers for you on the screen right here. You don’t have to be a mathematical genius to know that these numbers are not particularly high. Top issue facing United States, climate change. It was 3% in 2021, 2% in  an average of polls in 2023. And this year the average of polls: two.  One, two. It is very, very low on the list of priorities. I was trying to count it out in the Gallup poll and basically ,t was so low down, you know, I was counting all the different issues I almost lost track. It was like 15th or 20th. It was just very, very low down. So the bottom line is not only are we seeing that the number has not really moved over the last 36 years, but in terms of being the top issue, it simply put has not broken through. Two percent, there are just a ton of things that rank way higher in the list of importance.

Watch above via CNN.

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