Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

1. Which Countries Should Act on Global Warming?

1.1. Most registered voters say the United States should reduce greenhouse gas emissions, regardless of what other countries do.

Most registered voters think the United States should reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, regardless of what other countries do (61%). Majorities of liberal Democrats (88%) and moderate/conservative Democrats (75%) take this position. Fewer liberal/moderate Republicans (46%) or conservative Republicans (36%), take this position.

Only 7% of registered voters (including 1% of Democrats, 12% of Independents, and 14% of Republicans) say the United States should not reduce its emissions (see Data Tables).

1.2. Registered voters across partisan lines say developing countries should do more to address global warming.

About eight in ten registered voters (79%) say developing countries (such as China, India, and Brazil) should be doing more to address global warming. Similarly, about seven in ten (71%) say other industrialized countries (such as England, Germany, and Japan) should be doing more. About two in three registered voters (65%) say the United States should be doing more to address global warming.

Large majorities of both liberal Democrats and moderate/conservative Democrats say developing countries, other industrialized countries, and the United States should all be doing more to address global warming. About seven in ten liberal/moderate Republicans say developing countries (71%) should be doing more, but fewer say other industrialized countries (60%) or the United States (50%) should be doing more. Similarly, while a majority of conservative Republicans (63%) say developing countries should be doing more, fewer than half say that other industrialized countries (43%) or the United States (24%) should be doing more.