Climate Change in the American Mind

The October 2015 survey reveals that while 67% of Americans believe global warming is happening and 53% attribute it to human activity, there is a significant gap in understanding the scientific consensus. Public worry has increased since spring 2015, and there is growing pessimism about the ability of humans to successfully reduce global warming. The report also highlights 'The Francis Effect,' noting that Pope Francis's teachings have increased the likelihood of American Catholics viewing climate change as a moral, social justice, and poverty issue.

• A majority of Americans believe global warming is occurring, though a significant portion remains unsure or believes it is not happening. Specifically, 67% think it is happening, while 16% think it is not.
• There is a stark disconnect between public perception and scientific consensus regarding the cause of global warming. While over 90% of climate scientists are convinced of human-caused warming, only about 10% of Americans are aware of this consensus, and only 53% believe global warming is mostly human-caused.
• Public concern and perceived risk have increased since spring 2015, although most Americans still view the threat as distant. More people now believe global warming will harm them personally (42%), people in the U.S. (56%), people in developing countries (61%), and future generations (70%).
• Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the possibility of successfully reducing global warming. Only 4% believe humans can and will successfully reduce it, while 18% believe humans cannot reduce it even if it is happening.
• There is strong public support for increased action from various sectors. At least two-thirds of Americans believe corporations and industry (72%), citizens (67%), and the United States (64%) should do more to address the issue.
• The teachings and U.S. visit of Pope Francis have influenced the views of American Catholics, making them more likely than non-Catholics to perceive global warming as a moral, social justice, and poverty issue.

APA

Center for Climate Change Communication (2015). Climate Change in the American Mind. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/October-2015-Climate-Change-American-Mind-October-2015.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Change Communication. Climate Change in the American Mind. 2015. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/October-2015-Climate-Change-American-Mind-October-2015.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Change Communication |title=Climate Change in the American Mind |date=October 2015 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/October-2015-Climate-Change-American-Mind-October-2015.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimatechangecommunication2015climate, author = {{Center for Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Climate Change in the American Mind}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2015}, month = oct, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/October-2015-Climate-Change-American-Mind-October-2015.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }