Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes

The report finds that a strong majority of Americans believe global warming is happening and is mostly human-caused. While many express worry and feel a personal responsibility to help, social engagement remains low, with most rarely discussing the topic with family and friends. There is significant concern regarding the impact of global warming on the U.S. environment, particularly extreme heat, droughts, and wildfires, though fatalism remains low.

• A significant majority of Americans believe global warming is occurring, with those who believe it is happening outnumbering those who do not by nearly 5 to 1 (72% vs 15%). When including those who 'lean' toward a yes answer, this figure rises to 80%.
• Most Americans attribute global warming to human activity, with 58% stating it is mostly human-caused, while 29% believe it is caused mostly by natural environmental changes.
• Public perception of scientific consensus is high, with 53% of Americans understanding that most scientists believe global warming is happening.
• Americans perceive global warming as a current threat; 46% believe people in the United States are being harmed "right now," and 43% report personally experiencing its effects.
• There is widespread concern that global warming will harm various groups and species, including plant and animal species (71%), future generations (70%), the world's poor (67%), and people in the U.S. (59%).
• Global warming is linked to a range of environmental problems in the U.S., with the highest perceived impacts being extreme heat (75%), droughts (71%), and wildfires (70%).
• Emotional distress is present in a minority of the population, with approximately 10% of Americans reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression due to global warming over a two-week period.
• Despite personal concern, social engagement is low; 65% of Americans rarely or never discuss global warming with family and friends, and only 20% hear people they know talk about it at least once a month.
• Americans express a desire for expert guidance on solutions and causes, with the most common questions focusing on what nations of the world (74%) and the U.S. (72%) can do to reduce global warming.
• Fatalism is relatively low, as 60% of Americans disagree that it is already too late to do anything about global warming, and 53% disagree that individual actions make no difference.

APA

Center for Climate Change Communication (2023). Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/climate-change-american-mind-beliefs-attitudes-fall-2023.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Change Communication. Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes. 2023. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/climate-change-american-mind-beliefs-attitudes-fall-2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Change Communication |title=Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes |date=2023 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/climate-change-american-mind-beliefs-attitudes-fall-2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimatechangecommunication2023climate, author = {{Center for Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs \& Attitudes}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2023}, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/climate-change-american-mind-beliefs-attitudes-fall-2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }