Climate Change in the American Mind

A survey of 1,018 American adults in April 2022 reveals that while 72% believe global warming is happening and 56% attribute it to human causes, there is a significant gap in understanding the strength of scientific consensus. A majority of respondents (64%) are worried about global warming, and many perceive it as already affecting U.S. weather and local environmental risks, such as electricity power outages and water pollution. However, social engagement remains low, with 67% rarely or never discussing the topic with family and friends.

• A strong majority of Americans believe global warming is occurring, with those who believe it is happening outnumbering those who do not by a 6 to 1 ratio (72% to 12%).
• While 56% of Americans believe global warming is mostly human-caused, only 20% are aware that the scientific consensus is very strong, specifically that more than 90% of climate scientists agree on human-caused warming.
• Emotional responses to global warming are predominantly negative or concerned; 64% of Americans are at least "somewhat worried," and 30% are "very worried."
• Perceptions of risk are higher for others than for oneself; while 47% think they will be harmed, larger majorities believe global warming will harm future generations (72%), plant and animal species (72%), and the world's poor (69%).
• Personal and social engagement is limited, as 67% of Americans rarely or never discuss global warming with family and friends, and only 24% hear people they know talk about it at least once a month.
• Most Americans reject fatalism regarding climate change, with 61% disagreeing that it is already too late to act, though the public is split (48% agree vs 52% disagree) on whether new technologies can solve the problem without individual lifestyle changes.
• A majority of Americans (63%) believe global warming is affecting U.S. weather, and they perceive high levels of influence on environmental problems such as extreme heat (75%), wildfires (73%), and droughts (72%).
• Local risk concerns are high for several issues, with a majority of Americans worried about harm to their local area from electricity power outages (78%), water pollution (77%), and air pollution (73%).

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2022). Climate Change in the American Mind. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2022/07/climate-change-american-mind-april-2022.pdf

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Climate Change in the American Mind. 2022. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2022/07/climate-change-american-mind-april-2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Climate Change in the American Mind |date=April 2022 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2022/07/climate-change-american-mind-april-2022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2022climate, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Climate Change in the American Mind}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2022}, month = apr, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2022/07/climate-change-american-mind-april-2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }