Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy

The report finds that while a majority of registered U.S. voters support various clean energy policies and prefer candidates who take action on global warming, there is a sharp political divide regarding the issue's importance as a voting priority. Most voters support specific measures like soil restoration for farmers and clean energy job training, but few believe the U.S. government is responding well to the crisis. Support for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is high after respondents read a description of the law, despite low general awareness.

• A majority of registered voters (62%) prefer a candidate for public office who supports action on global warming, though this support is heavily split by party: 97% of liberal Democrats versus 17% of conservative Republicans.
• Global warming is a low-ranking priority for the general electorate in the 2024 presidential election, ranking 19th out of 28 issues in terms of being 'very important' to voters (39%), and 12th when asked to choose the single most important issue (3%).
• There is broad support for specific climate-friendly policies, including federal funding for soil restoration (86%), job training for fossil fuel workers transitioning to renewables (77%), and tax rebates for energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels (77%).
• Registered voters show strong support for climate justice initiatives, such as creating more parks and green spaces in low-income communities and communities of color (86%) and strengthening industrial pollution limits in those areas (80%).
• Public awareness of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) is low, with 39% of registered voters having heard 'nothing at all' about it; however, 74% support the law after reading a brief description.
• Voters are divided on the economic impact of clean energy: 50% believe clean energy policies will improve economic growth and create jobs, while 28% believe they will reduce growth and cost jobs.
• There is a widespread perception that the U.S. government is failing to address global warming, with only 15% of registered voters stating the government is responding well.
• While many voters express a willingness to take action if asked by someone they respect—such as signing a petition (54%) or donating money (32%)—actual engagement in the past year remains low, with only 20% having signed a petition and 16% having donated.
• Collective efficacy is moderate, with 49% of registered voters feeling at least 'moderately confident' that people like them can influence federal government action on global warming, and 46% feeling the same about influencing corporations.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2024). Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2024/08/climate-change-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024c.pdf

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy. 2024. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2024/08/climate-change-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024c.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/2024/08/climate-change-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024c.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/2024/08/climate-change-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024c.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }