This document summarizes the results of a survey of Nevada public agencies regarding climate change planning and policy implementation. The survey received 29 responses from 204 agencies contacted, a 14.2% response rate. The summary includes: - Key findings on climate change priorities, information sources, and preparedness from the survey results. - Statistical analysis comparing Nevada responses to national trends on climate change confidence and priorities. - Areas for further research identified, such as collecting more responses through phone interviews and focus groups. - Challenges encountered with the initial survey distribution and results, including a small sample size limiting statistical tests that could be used.

1. Orion Cuffe, Ira Cross, Elaine Hirt
Statistical Analysis for Business Decisions

2. Interdisciplinary Research Project
NSHE is Administrator
Funded by $15M Grant
Sponsors: NSF, EPSCoR
Institutional Partners: UNR, UNLV, DRI

3. 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

4. Surveymonkey.com Received 29 Complete
All Public Agencies Self-Selected Responses
Sent 204 Surveys 14.2% Response Rate

5. Special Business Non-Profit
Purpose Association Organization
Government 6% 3%
Regional
(School, Utility, Agency
Water 13%
District, etc.)
7%
State
Government
Agency
Local 23%
Government
Agency
Federal 48%
Government
Agency
0%

6. Climate Change Priority Level?
Organization Planning?
Information Sources?
Capacity for Planning?
Constraints and
Obstacles for
Implementation?
Cooperation Between
Local Government &
Organizations?

7. Is This Related to… That?
Media Confidence in Science
Information Source Organization Preparedness
Size of Budget
Number of Employees
Organization Types
How Does Nevada Compare
with National Trends?

8. Data Cleaning & Coding
Successful Tests Unsuccessful Tests
Test of Two Means ANOVA
T-Test of Proportions OLS Multiple
Chi-Square Regression

9. Chi-Square Test Results Reveal
Yes, There is a Relationship.
P = 0.0409
Inverse Relationship
Less News = More Confidence
More News = Less Confidence
Conclusion: Watching the News Erodes
Confidence in the Science.

10. Yes, Consultants Chi-Square Test Results Show
Yes, There is a Relationship.
Strengthen Confidence in
P = 0.08
the Climate Change
Science When Used More
Often.

11. No, Budget Size Does Not Play a
Role Whether or Not an Agency is
Prepared for Climate Change.
Two Sample Test of Means
gives P-Value: 0.427 at 95%
Confidence Interval.

12. 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.

13. Regardless of the Type of Agency, the
Confidence in Climate Change Science
Remained Unaffected.
Chi-Square Test Reveals NO
Relationship.
P-Value = 0.4504

14. Even the Number of Staff of an Organization
has NO Affect in Preparedness for Climate
Change Issues.
Two Sample Test of Means Reveals NO
Relationship at 95% Confidence Interval.
P-Value = 0.924
T-Test Score = 0.096

15. 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 Change
71% 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%

16. “This is a waste of time
and money. You cannot
do anything about
climate change.”

17. “It’s hard to get
concerned, when reports
are so conflicting, and
politics play such a role.”

18. “What do we need to
better plan?
The Truth.”

19. “The national news media
cannot be trusted to tell
an unbiased truth!”

20. “A climate change
clearing house.”
“Get
truthful, factual, long-
term, non-political data!”

21. “Is it really
real, or made
up Al Gore
BS?!”

22. Long Process to Create & Approve Survey
UNR Survey Policy
Very Poor Lack of Response!
Not Enough Samples
Limited What Tests Could Be Used
High Margin of Error
Survey Was Long
Over 45 Questions

23. Collect More Responses Through Phone
Interviews
Plan for Focus Group Research
Presentations—February & March 2010
Las Vegas, Nevada
San Francisco, California
Collaboration with UNLV

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