Nevada State Agency Climate Change Survey

Orion Cuffe, Ira Cross, Elaine HirtStatistical Analysis for Business Decisions

Interdisciplinary Research Project

NSHE is Administrator

Funded by $15M Grant

Sponsors: NSF, EPSCoR

Institutional Partners: UNR, UNLV, DRI

Important Role to Develop Public Policy

Implementation

Most Closely Match Local Needs for Climate Change Adaptation

Often Lack Resources and Timely & Accurate Scientific Information Necessary to Implement Policy Effectively

Surveymonkey.com

All Public Agencies

Sent 204 Surveys

Received 29 Complete Self-Selected Responses

14.2% Response Rate

Regional Agency

13%

Federal Government

Agency0%

State Government

Agency23%Local

Government Agency

48%

Special Purpose

Government (School, Utility,

Water District, etc.)

7%

Business Association

6%

Non-Profit Organization

3%

Climate Change Priority Level?

Organization Planning?Information Sources?

Capacity for Planning?

Constraints and Obstacles for Implementation?

Cooperation Between Local Government & Organizations?

Is This Related to…Media

Information Source

Size of Budget

Number of Employees

Organization Types

How Does Nevada Compare with National Trends?

That?Confidence in Science

Organization Preparedness

Successful Tests

Test of Two Means

T-Test of Proportions

Chi-Square

Unsuccessful Tests

ANOVA

OLS Multiple Regression

Data Cleaning & Coding

Chi-Square Test Results Reveal Yes, There is a Relationship.

P = 0.0409

Inverse Relationship

Less News = More ConfidenceMore News = Less Confidence

Conclusion: Watching the News Erodes Confidence in the Science.

Yes, Consultants Strengthen Confidence in the Climate Change Science When Used More Often.

Chi-Square Test Results Show Yes, There is a Relationship.

P = 0.08

Two Sample Test of Means gives P-Value: 0.427 at 95% Confidence Interval.

No, Budget Size Does Not Play a Role Whether or Not an Agency is Prepared for Climate Change.

Chi-Square Test Results Show NO Relationship

P = 0.6226

Conclusion: Do Not Rely on the Agency Type Determine How Prepared the Agency is to Deal with Climate Change Issues. Applies to State Agencies to Non-Profit Organization.

Regardless of the Type of Agency, the Confidence in Climate Change Science Remained Unaffected.

Chi-Square Test Reveals NO Relationship.P-Value = 0.4504

Two Sample Test of Means Reveals NO Relationship at 95% Confidence Interval.P-Value = 0.924T-Test Score = 0.096

Even the Number of Staff of an Organization has NO Affect in Preparedness for Climate Change Issues.

Is Climate Change a Priority?18% Nevada Agencies Say Yes, It’s a Top Priority*

3% National Average Says Yes, It’s a Top Priority**

Confident in the Science of Climate Change71% Nevada Agencies Are Confident*

57% National Average Is Confident***

*Note: NOT statistically significant different due to extremely high error, a consequence of low sample size.**Bloomberg Poll conducted by Seizer & Co., Dec 3-7, 2009. N=1,000 adults nationwide +/- 3.1%***Pew Research Center Poll conducted Sept 30-Oct 4, 2009. N=1,500 adults nationwide +/- 3.1%

“This is a waste of time and money. You cannot

do anything about climate change.”

“It’s hard to get concerned, when reports

are so conflicting, and politics play such a role.”

“What do we need to better plan?

The Truth.”

“The national news media cannot be trusted to tell

an unbiased truth!”

“A climate change clearing house.”

“Get truthful, factual, long-

term, non-political data!”

“Is it really real, or made up Al Gore

BS?!”

Long Process to Create & Approve SurveyUNR Survey Policy

Very Poor Lack of Response!Not Enough Samples

Limited What Tests Could Be Used

High Margin of Error

Survey Was LongOver 45 Questions

Collect More Responses Through Phone Interviews

Plan for Focus Group Research

Presentations—February & March 2010Las Vegas, Nevada

San Francisco, California

Collaboration with UNLV

Save the Earth. It’s the only planet with chocolate!