Poll: 51% Of Young Voters Believe Humanity Could Be Wiped Out Within 15 Years

Over the next 10-15 years, 29% of all voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that the earth will become uninhabitable and humanity will be wiped out. A ScottRasmussen.com national survey found that 71% disagree and find it unlikely.

The totals include 10% who consider it Very Likely and 37% who say Not at All Likely.

There is a dramatic difference by age on this question. Half (51%) of voters under 35 believe it is at least somewhat likely humanity will be wiped out in the next decade or so. Only 12% of senior citizens agree (and only 4% of seniors believe it is Very Likely).

In the early days of the Cold War, many young people had similar concerns that the world would be destroyed by nuclear weapons. Another generation was convinced that overpopulation would devastate the human race by the 1980s. While we do not have comparable polling data for those periods, the response of young people today seems very similar.

The data also reveals a significant geographical divide. Forty-five percent (45%) of urban residents think humanity may be wiped out by climate change in 10-15 years. Only 23% of rural voters and 22% of suburban voters agree.

Twenty-one percent (21%) of urban voters consider it Very Likely the earth will quickly become uninhabitable. Just 6% of rural voters and 5% of suburban voters consider that a Very Likely outcome (see crosstab results).

Data released earlier showed that just 10% of voters were aware the Global Climate Strike had been scheduled for last week.