Jan 1, 2009
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 Report
Our researchers conducted an international survey in partnership with Facebook Data for Good, investigating public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior among Facebook users in more than 30 countries and territories worldwide.
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.
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 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.
International Public Support for Climate Action
Our researchers partnered with Facebook Data for Good to conduct an international survey investigating public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior among Facebook users in more than 30 countries and territories worldwide in February 2021 (wording varied slightly across countries and territories).
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.
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.
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 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.