Conducted July 12-16, the special edition of the UT Energy Poll found especially big increases since March among Republicans, Independents and Southerners who now think global climate change is happening.

Texas’ punishing drought and heat wave of 2011 is a key focus of increased scientific efforts to determine if extreme weather events can be attributed to manmade global warming. It’s a fledgling science, researchers acknowledge.

Judge Gisela D. Triana said the state’s argument that the doctrine applies only to water conservation is “legally invalid.” Environmentalists are trying to use the doctrine to compel strong limits on greenhouse-gas emissions.