In the past year, the percentage of Americans “alarmed” about global warming has increased five percentage points to 17 percent, while the percentage of those who dismiss global warming has declined slightly to 10 percent, according to an analysis by the MacArthur-supported Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. The latest Global Warming’s Six Americas analysis, based on a national survey, captures attitudes among six groups of Americans: from those most alarmed by global warming to those dismissive of it and groups in between. The analysis gauges these groups’ interest in the upcoming presidential election, willingness to support candidates who support or oppose climate action, and their willingness to join a campaign to convince elected officials to take action. The analysis found that global warming, environmental protection, and clean energy production are central to some segments of the population, but largely irrelevant to others.
