Report · Oct 1, 2014
Climate Change in the American Mind: October 2014
By Anthony Leiserowitz, Edward Maibach, Seth Rosenthal, Geoff Feinberg and Connie Roser-Renouf
Filed under: Beliefs & Attitudes
Report Summary
Today, two thirds of Americans think global warming is happening (66%, up 3 percentage points since November, 2013), whereas only about one in six think it is not happening (16%, down 7 points). The public’s understanding of what is causing global warming, however, is largely at odds with climate science. Currently, only half of Americans (50%) think that global warming, if it is happening, is mostly caused by human activities. By contrast, several recent studies have found that almost all climate scientists active in the field (e.g., 97%, according to Cook et al., 2013) have concluded that human- caused global warming is happening.
Americans support a broad range of policies that would help reduce or respond to global warming. For example, solid majorities “strongly” or “somewhat” support the following:
- Increased funding for improvements to local roads, bridges, and buildings to make them more resistant to extreme weather (83%)
- Funding more research into renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power (77%)
- Providing tax rebates to people who purchase energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels (77%)
- Regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant (75%)
- Setting strict carbon dioxide emission limits on existing coal-fired power plants to reduce global warming and improve public health, where (a) power plants would have to reduce their emissions and/or invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency and (b) the cost of electricity to consumers and companies would likely increase (67%)
- Requiring electric utilities to produce at least 20% of their electricity from wind, solar, or other renewable energy sources, even if it costs the average household an extra $100 a year (62%)
Key Statistics
A majority of Americans think global warming is happening.
Four times more Americans think global warming is happening than think it is not happening.
Half of Americans think that if global warming is happening, it is mostly human caused.
Half of Americans (50%) think that global warming, if it is happening, is mostly human caused.
Very few Americans are aware of the scientific consensus on climate change.
Only about one in ten Americans thinks that over 90% of climate scientists agree global warming is human caused.
Key Statistics
A majority of Americans think global warming is happening.
Four times more Americans think global warming is happening than think it is not happening.
Half of Americans think that if global warming is happening, it is mostly human caused.
Half of Americans (50%) think that global warming, if it is happening, is mostly human caused.
Very few Americans are aware of the scientific consensus on climate change.
Only about one in ten Americans thinks that over 90% of climate scientists agree global warming is human caused.