Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics and Policy

Based on a May 2025 survey of 915 registered voters, the report finds broad bipartisan support for various clean energy policies, including renewable energy research (80%) and regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant (75%). While 79% support U.S. participation in the Paris Climate Agreement, there is a significant gap in political advocacy, with only 8% of voters having contacted government officials about global warming in the past year. The report also highlights strong support for the proposed Foreign Pollution Fee Act (81% after reading a description) and the strengthening of pollution enforcement in disproportionately impacted communities (79%).

• There is broad support among registered voters for several climate policies, including federal funding for soil carbon sequestration (88%), renewable energy research (80%), and regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant (75%).
• A large majority of registered voters (79%) support strengthening the enforcement of industrial pollution limits in communities of color and low-income communities that are disproportionately affected by water and air pollution.
• While only 3% of registered voters had previously heard of the Foreign Pollution Fee Act, 81% supported the proposal after reading a brief description of the bill, which would fee imports based on carbon pollution.
• Bipartisan support exists for the Paris Climate Agreement, with 79% of registered voters supporting U.S. participation and 65% opposing President Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement.
• Most registered voters favor a transition in energy sources, with 74% stating the U.S. should use more renewable energy and 57% stating it should use fewer fossil fuels in the future.
• Actual political engagement is low; only 8% of registered voters contacted government officials in the past year to urge action on global warming, and 80% report that nobody has ever asked them to do so.
• Registered voters identify several barriers to political advocacy, most notably the belief that contacting officials would not make a difference (67%) and a lack of identity as an activist (63%).
• There is strong consensus (78%) that schools should provide children with education regarding the causes, consequences, and potential solutions for global warming.

APA

Team, M. 4. (2025). Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics and Policy. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-and-policy-spring-2025/

Chicago

Team, Mason 4C. Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics and Policy. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2025. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-and-policy-spring-2025/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Team |first1=Mason 4C |title=Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics and Policy |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=17 June 2025 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-and-policy-spring-2025/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{team2025climate, author = {Team, Mason 4C}, title = {{Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics and Policy}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-and-policy-spring-2025/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }