Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy

A December 2024 survey of 890 registered U.S. voters reveals broad support for clean energy development and climate justice policies, though significant political polarization remains regarding fossil fuel production and the economic effects of the energy transition. While majorities support the Paris Climate Agreement and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, actual political advocacy and collective efficacy remain low.

• A majority of registered voters view climate and energy as government priorities, with 54% stating global warming should be a high or very high priority for the president and Congress, and 63% stating the same for developing clean energy sources.
• Registered voters show strong support for specific carbon-reduction policies, most notably federal funding for soil restoration to absorb carbon (88%), renewable energy research (77%), and strict limits on methane emissions from oil and gas production (74%).
• There is broad support for climate justice initiatives, including federal funding for energy efficiency in low-income buildings (77%), strengthening industrial pollution enforcement in disproportionately impacted communities of color and low-income areas (76%), and national job training for fossil fuel workers transitioning to renewables (75%).
• While 60% of registered voters have heard at least a little about the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), only 36% have heard 'a lot' or 'some' about it; however, 70% support the law after reading a brief description.
• International climate action is supported by majorities, with 73% favoring U.S. participation in the Paris Climate Agreement and 61% supporting financial and technical mitigation aid for developing countries.
• Public opinion on the economic impact of clean energy is divided: 42% believe such policies will improve economic growth and jobs, while 35% believe they will reduce growth and cost jobs. However, 55% believe the clean energy industry will create more good jobs than the fossil fuel industry.
• Voters generally favor a transition away from fossil fuels, with 71% stating the U.S. should use more renewable energy and 61% stating it should use fewer fossil fuels in the future.
• Despite high policy support, active political advocacy is low; only 8% of registered voters contacted government officials in the past year to urge action on global warming, and only 1% are currently participating in a campaign to convince officials to act.
• Collective efficacy has declined, with 38% of registered voters feeling moderately confident that citizens working together can affect federal government action on global warming, a 10 percentage point decrease from Spring 2024.
• There is strong consensus on climate education, with 77% of registered voters agreeing that schools should teach children about the causes, consequences, and solutions to global warming.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2024). Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2025/01/climate-change-american-mind-politics-policy-fall-2024.pdf

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy. 2024. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2025/01/climate-change-american-mind-politics-policy-fall-2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy |date=2024 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2025/01/climate-change-american-mind-politics-policy-fall-2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2024climate, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics \& Policy}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2024}, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2025/01/climate-change-american-mind-politics-policy-fall-2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }