Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Report Summary

Highlights

• 93 percent of respondents say they know at least a little about climate change. 11 percent say they know a lot, 54 percent know something, and 28 percent know just a little about it. 7 percent have never heard of climate change.
• 55 percent say that climate change is caused mostly by human activities, while 38 percent say that climate change is caused mostly by natural changes in the environment.
• 78 percent of respondents say they are either very (23%) or somewhat worried (55%) about climate change. 14 percent are not very worried and 8 percent are not at all worried.
• 69 percent say that people in China are already being harmed by climate change, while another 8 percent say they will be harmed within 10 years.
• 89 percent of respondents agree and 9 percent somewhat agree with the statement: ‘The government should pay great attention to the issue of climate change’.
• Majorities of respondents trust scientific institutes (89%), the government (86%), the news media (82%), and their own friends and family members (64%) as sources of information about climate change. Fewer trust NGOs (41%) or corporations (38%).