Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Report Summary

• Roughly half of all Americans believe that global warming is already causing or making the following things worse in the United States: coastline erosion and flooding, droughts, hurricanes, rivers flooding, and wildfires.

• Public understanding that global warming is happening rose 3 points, to 64 percent.

• Public understanding that it is caused mostly by human activities declined three points, to 47 percent.

• Public understanding that most scientists think global warming is happening rose 5 points, to 39 percent.

• Trust in scientists and federal agencies remains high.