Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

1. Climate Change Knowledge and Beliefs

1.1. Respondents in many countries and territories say they know at least a moderate amount about climate change.

A majority of respondents in about half (15 of the 31) of the countries and territories surveyed say they know at least a moderate amount about climate change. Respondents in Australia (78%) and Germany (77%) are the most likely to say they know “a lot” or “a moderate amount,” followed by the Netherlands (76%), the UK (75%), Canada (74%), Ireland (73%), France (72%), and the United States (71%).

By contrast, substantial percentages of respondents say they have “never heard of” climate change in Nigeria (28%), Malaysia (20%), Egypt (19%), Saudi Arabia (18%), Vietnam (16%), and South Africa and India (both 15%). It is also important to note that this survey was conducted on the Facebook platform and so likely underrepresents populations with lower incomes and literacy rates, groups that prior research has found are more likely to know little or nothing about climate change.

1.2. The great majority of respondents think climate change is happening.

After being asked about their current level of knowledge about climate change, respondents were given a short definition of climate change: “Climate change refers to the idea that the world’s average temperature has been increasing over the past 150 years, will increase more in the future, and that the world’s climate will change as a result. What do you think: Do you think climate change is happening?”

The great majority of respondents in all 31 surveyed countries and territories say that they think climate change is happening. This includes nine in ten or more respondents in Costa Rica (94%), Brazil, (92%), Spain (92%),  France (91%), Taiwan (91%), Mexico (91%), Japan (91%), Poland (90%), Colombia (90%), Argentina (90%), and the United Kingdom (90%). This percentage is lowest, but still high, in Egypt (79%), Saudi Arabia (79%), and Indonesia (78%). In the United States, the respondents who say climate change is happening (80%) outnumber those who think it is not happening (12%) by a ratio of more than six to one.

1.3. Most respondents think climate change is at least partially caused by humans.

A majority of respondents in all 31 surveyed countries and territories say that climate change is at least partially caused by human activities. However, majorities say that climate change is mostly caused by human activities in only 13 countries and territories. Respondents in Spain (64%) and Italy (60%) are the most likely to say that climate change is mostly caused by human activities, while respondents in Indonesia (16%) are the least likely. A total of about three in four respondents in the United States (74%) say climate change is at least partially caused by human activities, but only four in ten (40%) say it is mostly caused by human activities.

Respondents in Nigeria (29%) are the most likely to say climate change is caused mostly by natural changes in the environment, followed by respondents in South Africa (24%), Egypt (22%), Saudi Arabia (20%), and the Philippines (19%).

1.4. Most respondents say they need more information about climate change.

A majority of respondents in all surveyed countries and territories say they need at least a little more information about climate change to form a firm opinion about it. Respondents in Vietnam are the most likely to say that they need “a lot” more information (52%), followed by respondents in Nigeria (51%), the Philippines (51%), South Africa (48%), Turkey (45%), and Indonesia (45%). Respondents in the United Kingdom (12%) and the Netherlands (12%) are the least likely to say they need “a lot” more information. Respondents from the United States (37%) and Australia (36%) are the most likely out of all surveyed countries and territories to say they do not need any more information.