Poll Reveals Today’s Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Climate Change

In June 2023, the Yale University Program on Climate Change and Communication released a study about American’s beliefs and attitudes about global warming.? While there are several new beliefs and attitudes in the study, we selected a few - in three different categories - we thought would be of greatest interest to our followers.

However, before we go further, we should note that this study was released in June 2023.??

This past summer, with fires and floods around the world and hotter temperatures than ever before, we saw firsthand how fast global warming is negatively impacting our planet. Therefore, the findings in this report may not reflect how seriously some Americans feel about these issues today.

With that said, here are some of the key findings in three different categories:

Overall beliefs about Global Warming

• Seventy-four percent of Americans believe global warming is happening; 15 percent do not believe this.
• Fifty-three percent are very or extremely concerned about global warming; eight percent are not concerned.
• Most Americans, 61 percent, understand that global warming is caused by human activity; 28 percent believe natural environmental changes cause it.

Risks of Global Warming

• About 50 percent of Americans say they are being harmed “right now” by global warming; 44 percent say they have only “generally” or “not” been impacted.
• As to who or what will be most impacted by global warming, the study found plant and animal species, (71%); the world’s poor (70%); people in developing countries (68%); people in the United States (64%); people in their community (55%) or their family (52%).
• About 10 percent of Americans have considered moving to a part of the world that will be less impacted by global warming.

Fatalism

• Two-thirds of Americans believe we still have time to do something about global warming; 13 percent believe the tipping point has already passed.
• Nearly 60 percent of Americans believe the actions of a single individual can make a difference in global warming; 42 percent do not believe one person can make a difference.
• Asked whether new technologies can help us solve global warming challenges, 56 percent of Americans said no; 44 percent said yes - there is a chance that new technologies can help us address global warming challenges.

We should add a couple more points.

The study also reported what Americans are most worried about when it comes to global warming. These are the following:

• Increased air and water pollution, 72 percent.
• Electrical power outages, 71 percent.
• Droughts, 68 percent.
• Agriculture pests and disease, 61 percent.
• Water shortages and flooding, about 60 percent.

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About the Study

This study was conducted between April 18, 2023, and May 1, 2023. It involved interviews with 1,011 adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.

If you have thoughts about this study, you are more than welcome to leave them below.