The total absence of certain topics in the election campaigns shows an unpleasent side of the American electorate.

In the last days of the US Presidential campaign, Hurricane Sandy has brought to the fore a topic little-mentioned until now: climate change.

The absence of debate around this topic is perplexing to many in the world, given America’s role as the source of a fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions. Some may see this as strategic denial. Yet it points to a broader divergence between scientific consensus, on one hand, and the views of the American electorate.

This appears especially true among Republican voters. While 39.2 per cent of Republicans, for example, deny that climate change is a worry, 17.9 per cent are also unaware that the earth goes around the sun, and a further 21.7 per cent think this happens either once a day, or once a month. 38.2 per cent are also unaware that the North Pole sits on a sheet of ice (which, indeed, it may not much longer).

This infographic was originally published on FactBlink on November 6, 2012.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.