Public Resource
Climate Change in the American Mind, April 2022
Anthony Leiserowitz, Edward Maibach, Seth Rosenthal, John Kotcher, Jennifer Carman, Liz Neyens, Teresa Myers, Matthew Goldberg, Eryn Campbell, Karine Lacroix and Jennifer Marlon. Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Public understanding of several key indicators – that climate change is happening, affecting the weather, harming Americans, etc. – have declined back to levels from March 2021. Americans who think global warming is happening outnumber those who think it is not happening by a ratio of 6 to 1 (72% versus 12%). Those who are “very” or “extremely” sure global warming is happening outnumber those who are “very” or “extremely” sure it is not happening more than 7 to 1 (54% versus 7%). A majority of Americans (64%) say they are at least “somewhat worried” about global warming. Three in ten (30%) say they are “very worried.” About half of Americans (48%) think people in the United States are being harmed by global warming “right now,” and four in ten (43%) say they have personally experienced the effects of global warming. Two in three Americans (67%) say they “rarely” or “never” discuss global warming with family and friends, while one in three (33%) say they do so “occasionally” or “often.” A majority of Americans (61%) disagree with the statement “it’s already too late to do anything about global warming,” while only 17% agree. A majority of Americans (63%) think global warming is affecting weather in the United States, including 32% who think weather is being affected “a lot.” This report details these and other findings.