International Attitudes & Behavior


International Attitudes & Behavior

Large-scale and ongoing international collaboration is critical if environmental policies are to succeed in stemming and successfully responding to global warming. Therefore, understanding and communicating about how people outside the U.S. think about climate change is an important part of YPCCC’s mission.

To that end, we have conducted a number of studies abroad, including:

International Public Opinion on Climate Change: Differences by Gender and Income/Emission Levels

Our researchers conducted an international survey in partnership with Meta’s Data for Good, and Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment, to examine the differences in men and women’s climate change beliefs across income and residential per-capita emissions levels among Facebook users in nearly 200 countries and territories.

International Public Opinion on Climate Change: Household Climate Actions

Our researchers conducted an international survey in partnership with Meta’s Data for Good, and Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment, investigating public climate change knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and policy preferences specifically related to the adoption of green household behaviors among Facebook users in 187 countries and territories.

International Public Opinion on Climate Change: Extreme Weather & Vulnerability

Our researchers conducted an international survey in partnership with Meta’s Data for Good, and Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment, investigating public climate change knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior specifically related to preparedness for extreme weather and climate-related hazards among Facebook users in 187 countries and territories.

International Public Opinion on Climate Change, 2023

Our researchers conducted an international survey in partnership with Meta’s Data for Good and Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment, investigating public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior among Facebook users in more than 187 countries and territories.

Climate Change in the Brazilian Mind

Our researchers conducted an international survey in partnership with Institute for Technology & Society of Rio (ITS) and the Brazilian survey research firm IPEC, investigating public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior among Brazilian adults.

Climate Change in the Chinese Mind

In the latest of a series of studies into public perception of climate change in China, we discussed the latest China national public survey on climate change with Dr. Binbin Wang, a pioneer in climate communication.

Climate Change in the Indian Mind

Our researchers conducted an international survey in partnership with the Centre for Voting Opinion & Trends in Election Research (CVoter), investigating public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior among Indian adults.

India Climate Opinion Maps

The online interactive tool provides estimates of public beliefs and attitudes towards global warming, risk perceptions, and policy preferences at the state and local level in over 600 districts across 34 of India’s 36 states and Union territories.

Climate Change in the Indonesian Mind

Our researchers conducted an international survey in partnership with Development Dialogue Asia, Communication for Change and, Kantar Indonesia investigating public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior among Indonesian adults.

Climate Change in the Irish Mind

The Irish Environmental Protection Agency commissioned the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication as their academic partner to help conduct a nationally representative survey of public climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, policy preferences, and behavior in Ireland. The research insights will be used to inform national policymaking and the Irish National Dialogue on Climate Action.

Climate Change’s Four Irelands: An Audience Segmentation Analysis

A deeper delve into the results of our 2021 Climate Change in the Irish Mind survey commissioned by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency reveals four distinctive audiences within Ireland’s population, each with beliefs surrounding climate change.

Irish Climate Opinion Maps

Our researchers partnered with the Irish Environmental Protection Agency to map beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy support surrounding climate change throughout Ireland.

The Major Emitters Project

In-depth research on public climate change knowledge, policy preferences, and barriers to behavioral change in the “dirty dozen” countries responsible for over 80% of global emissions (China, India, Brazil, UK, Japan, Germany, etc.). We have conducted national surveys in both India and China, where we performed “Six Americas”-style segmentations to enable targeted education and communication campaigns in each country.

The Gallup World Poll

Our researchers have collaborated with the Gallup World Poll on an annual global survey (150+ countries) that includes questions on climate change. The first results were presented at the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Summit. A 2015 article in Nature Climate Change explains some of this research, which identifies the main predictors of public climate change awareness and risk perceptions around the world.

Canadian Climate Opinion Maps

The most recent update to CCOM finds that a majority of Canadians are seeing climate change impacts in their provinces. The maps will help decision makers understand the current state of public opinion in Canada regarding global warming and its human causes, as well as national support for carbon pricing policies such as cap and trade.

Global Warming’s Four Indias, 2022: An Audience Segmentation Analysis

A deeper delve into the results of our 2022 Climate Change in the Indian Mind survey reveals four distinctive audiences within India’s population, each with unique responses to global warming.

Global Warming Risk Perceptions in India

Few studies have focused on global warming risk perceptions among people in poor and developing countries, who are disproportionately impacted by climate change. This analysis conducts a comprehensive assessment of global warming risk perceptions in India using a national sample survey.