Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

In celebration of Earth (Crisis) Day, we are pleased to share our 2021 Climate Opinion Factsheets. This popular tool is supporting strategic communication in the advocacy community and beyond by helping people to:

• Reveal the high levels of public support for climate action 
• Share local climate opinions in the media
• Connect the dots between weather and climate change
• Show lawmakers what their constituents think
• Organize local communities to take action on climate
• Educate students about the variety of climate opinions in their community
• Teach people about the causes, impacts, and solutions to climate change
• Design and market more sustainable products
• Understand community risks and vulnerabilities
• Understand customer support for climate action in key markets

Public opinion is not the only driver of climate policy and action, but it does influence lawmakers, motivate corporations, and perhaps most importantly, helps shape and reinforce social norms. 

The Climate Opinion Factsheets provide detailed data about all 50 states and 3,142 counties based on our twice-a-year climate change surveys. Use them to find and share insights about what your key geographic audience understands and misunderstands about the causes, impacts, and solutions to climate change.

Accurate information about local public views can support communication efforts that are vital to ensuring a rapid and just transition away from fossil fuels. As an example, Kern County, California is one of the new Local Energy Action Pilot or LEAP Communities selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) to receive federal support to pursue energy efficient buildings, clean transportation, critical minerals recovery, and more. Majorities in Kern county think citizens (63%), local government officials (58%), corporations (66%), Congress (59%), and others should be doing more to address global warming.

For more details, please visit the About section on the Factsheets webpage. We hope you find the tool useful and would love to hear about your experiences!