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The report identifies a 'Francis Effect,' where American adults, particularly Catholics, became more engaged and concerned about global warming between spring and fall 2015. Key shifts include increased trust in the Pope as an information source, a greater perception of global warming as a moral and social justice issue, and heightened concern for the impact of climate change on the world's poor and developing nations. While support for unilateral U.S. emission reductions increased slightly, support for specific policies like carbon dioxide limits on coal plants remained stable or decreased slightly.

The report identifies a 'Francis Effect,' where Americans—particularly Catholics—became more engaged and concerned about global warming between spring and fall 2015. This shift is characterized by increased trust in the Pope, higher issue salience in media and places of worship, and a growing perception of global warming as a moral and social justice issue. While concern and certainty that global warming is happening increased, the report finds that understanding of human-caused warming remained steady and support for specific climate policies changed only slightly.