Climate Change in the American Mind

The October 2014 survey 'Climate Change in the American Mind' reveals that while 66% of Americans believe global warming is happening, there is a significant gap between public perception and scientific consensus regarding its causes. Only 50% of respondents believe human activities are the primary cause, and only 33% believe people in the U.S. are currently being harmed. Despite this, there is broad support for clean energy research, carbon dioxide regulation, and infrastructure improvements to resist extreme weather, with majorities believing that corporations, citizens, and government officials should do more to address the issue.

• A majority of Americans believe global warming is occurring, with 66% affirming its existence, an increase of 3 percentage points from November 2013. Conversely, 16% believe it is not happening.
• There is a stark disconnect between public belief and scientific consensus regarding the cause of global warming; only 50% of Americans believe it is mostly caused by human activities, whereas scientific literature indicates a consensus of approximately 97%.
• Public worry about global warming remains relatively stable despite increasing impacts. While 55% of Americans are at least 'somewhat worried,' only 11% are 'very worried.'
• Americans generally perceive global warming as a distant threat. Only 33% believe people in the U.S. are being harmed 'right now,' and individuals are less likely to believe it will cause a 'great deal' or 'moderate amount' of harm to themselves (36%) than to future generations (64%) or plant and animal species (64%).
• There is strong public demand for increased action from both the private and public sectors. Majorities believe corporations and industry (67%) and citizens (63%) should do more, as well as the U.S. Congress (57%), local government officials (53%), and President Obama (51%).
• Americans show high levels of support for specific climate policies, including funding for weather-resistant infrastructure (83%), renewable energy research (77%), tax rebates for energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels (77%), and the regulation of carbon dioxide as a pollutant (75%).
• A majority of Americans (67%) support setting strict carbon dioxide emission limits on existing coal-fired power plants to improve public health and reduce global warming, even if it results in increased electricity costs for consumers and companies.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2014). Climate Change in the American Mind. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2016/10/Climate-Change-American-Mind-November-2014.pdf

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Climate Change in the American Mind. 2014. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2016/10/Climate-Change-American-Mind-November-2014.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Climate Change in the American Mind |date=October 2014 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2016/10/Climate-Change-American-Mind-November-2014.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2014climate, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Climate Change in the American Mind}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2014}, month = oct, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2016/10/Climate-Change-American-Mind-November-2014.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }