Climate Change & Energy Public Attitudes, Behaviors & Policy Support

A 2013 survey of Maryland residents reveals high levels of concern about climate change, with 86% believing it is happening and a majority supporting state-level sustainability policies. While residents prefer renewable energy sources like solar and wind, there is significant uncertainty regarding the state's actual energy mix. The report also highlights a gap between public support for climate action and individual behaviors, noting that home energy conservation is more common than transportation-related reductions.

• A large majority of Maryland residents believe climate change is occurring, significantly higher than national averages from the same period.
• Most Marylanders perceive their local environment as changing and their weather as deteriorating, with storms, reduced snowfall, and hotter summers being the most frequently cited changes.
• There is a significant gap between the actual scientific consensus on human-caused climate change and the public's perception of that consensus in Maryland.
• Maryland residents show strong preference for renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind, despite widespread ignorance of the state's actual electricity generation sources.
• While there is broad support for state sustainability policies, public awareness of these initiatives varies significantly.
• Residents are more likely to engage in energy conservation at home than in their transportation habits, with low adoption of high-impact home improvements like weatherization.
• A majority of Marylanders believe that recent extreme weather events and sea-level rise have been exacerbated by climate change.
• There is strong public support for government prioritization of protecting public water supplies and human health from environmental threats.
• A significant majority of residents support requiring property sellers to disclose future risks related to sea-level rise and extreme weather.
• Using the 'Global Warming’s Six Americas' framework, 62% of Marylanders fall into the 'Alarmed' or 'Concerned' categories, indicating higher levels of concern than the U.S. national average.

APA

Akerlof, K., & Maibach, E. W. (2013). Climate Change & Energy Public Attitudes, Behaviors & Policy Support. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-2013-Climate-change-energy-–-Public-attitudes-behaviors-and-policy-support-A-survey-of-Maryland-residents.pdf

Chicago

Akerlof, Karen, and Edward W. Maibach. Climate Change & Energy Public Attitudes, Behaviors & Policy Support. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2013. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-2013-Climate-change-energy-–-Public-attitudes-behaviors-and-policy-support-A-survey-of-Maryland-residents.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Akerlof |first1=Karen |last2=Maibach |first2=Edward W. |title=Climate Change & Energy Public Attitudes, Behaviors & Policy Support |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=2013 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-2013-Climate-change-energy-–-Public-attitudes-behaviors-and-policy-support-A-survey-of-Maryland-residents.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{akerlof2013climate, author = {Akerlof, Karen and Maibach, Edward W.}, title = {{Climate Change \& Energy Public Attitudes, Behaviors \& Policy Support}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2013}, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Summer-2013-Climate-change-energy-–-Public-attitudes-behaviors-and-policy-support-A-survey-of-Maryland-residents.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }