Fact Sheet | Polling the American Public on Climate Change (2013) | White Papers

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This fact sheet provides information on climate change polling in the United States over the last year from a variety of sources. Overall the studies show:

The American public’s concern about climate change, while still below 2007 levels, is on the rise nationwide.
This trend holds across party lines, with greater numbers of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans viewing this as a serious issue that will affect them in their lifetimes.
Additionally, more are convinced that global warming is caused by human activities rather than natural causes.
Higher percentages of minorities say climate change is happening and support the president taking steps to address the issue.
While a majority of Americans support the increased deployment of clean and renewable energy and regulation of power plant emissions, support remains weak for a carbon tax or cap-and-trade measures.

CLIMATE CHANGE SURVEYS: 2012-2013

Stanford Woods Institute March 13-18, 2013 Sample: 1,174 American adults

77% say that rising sea levels caused by global warming will be moderately, very, or extremely serious for the United States over the next hundred years
82% say that we should prepare for coastal damage caused by sea level rise before it happens

Pew Research Center March 13-17, 2013 Sample: 1,501 American adults

69% say there is solid evidence that the average global temperature has been rising over the past few decades, up from 57% in 2010
42% say the Earth is warming due mostly to human activity
33% say that global warming is a very serious problem, down six points from October 2012

Gallup March 7-10, 2013 Sample: 1,022 American adults

58% say they worry a fair amount to a great deal about global warming
62% say there is scientific consensus on global warming
64% think global warming will be a threat to them or their way of life in their lifetime

Pew Research Center Feb 13-18, 2013 Sample: 1,504 American adults

62% of Americans favor setting stricter emission limits on power plants
54% say we should invest in renewable energy sources — up seven points from Oct 2012 — while 35% think we should expand the production of oil, gas, and coal
47% of Democrats and 15% of Republicans think it is essential that the president and Congress enact new climate change policies this year

Natural Resources Defense Council Feb 12, 2013 Sample: 1,218 registered voters

62% say it is important to combat climate change for the sake of our children and our future
57% say that the steps Obama laid out for tackling climate change in his State of the Union address should be a priority
58% think climate change is causing recent extreme weather events, and that we must “act before it’s too late”
60% support the president using his authority to reduce dangerous carbon pollution

Rasmussen Reports Feb 12, 2013 Sample: 1,000 likely voters

61% say it’s at least somewhat important for Congress to pass major energy legislation this year to reduce climate change, including 38% who say it’s very important

National League of Conservation Voters Feb 3-5, 2013 Sample: 800 registered voters

93% agree that “Americans have a moral obligation to future generations to leave them a planet that is not polluted or damaged”
61% say global warming is affecting them or will affect them personally in their lifetime
65% of Americans support President Obama taking significant steps to address climate change now

Duke University Jan 16-22, 2013 Sample: 1,089 American adults

84% think climate change is probably happening, including 50% who are convinced it is happening
92% of Democrats, 85% of Independents and 69% of Republicans think climate change is a serious threat
31% of Democrats and 9% of Republicans trust scientists to provide impartial information on climate change
64% support requiring utilities to generate “a large amount” of their power from low-carbon sources
29% of Americans strongly support or somewhat support a carbon tax
64% support greenhouse gas regulations for factories and power plants and increased vehicle fuel efficiency

CNN/ORC International Jan 14-15, 2013 Sample: 814 American adults

49% agree with President Obama that global warming is a proven fact and is caused by emissions from cars, power plants and factories, down seven points from 2007

Yale and George Mason Universities Jan 12-27, 2013 Sample:726 Registered Republicans

52% say that climate change is happening, versus 26% who say it isn’t and 22% who ‘don’t know’
35% of respondents agree with the Republican Party’s position on climate change
62% say that their elected representatives are unresponsive to their views on climate change
77% support using more renewable energy in the U.S. than we are using today; 51% support using less fossil fuels

University of Michigan Nov 26 – Dec 5, 2012 Sample: 998 Americans

51% of Republicans say they think climate change is occurring, the first majority since 2008
Following Hurricane Sandy, 45% said that extreme weather events such as major storms and floods had a very large impact on their belief that the Earth is getting warmer

National Wildlife Federation Nov 7, 2012 Sample: 1,016 American adults

57% say climate change is making extreme weather such as Hurricane Sandy and summer droughts more severe
69% are greatly or somewhat worried about the growing cost and risks of severe weather brought on by climate change

Rasmussen Reports Nov 5, 2012 Sample: 1,000 likely voters

68% think global warming is a serious problem, up from 46 percent in 2009

Yale and George Mason Universities Aug 31-Sept 12, 2012 Sample: 839 registered voters

61% would support a candidate who is for a revenue-neutral carbon tax if it created more American jobs
77% think climate change should be a high or medium priority for the president and Congress
61% say the U.S. should reduce greenhouse gas emissions regardless of whether other countries take action
78% support increased use of renewable energy, such as wind and solar, in the future
66% support regulation of carbon dioxide as a pollutant, down from 80% in 2008

Yale and George Mason Universities Aug 31-Sept 12, 2012 Sample: 1,061 American adults

70% of Americans are alarmed, concerned, or cautious about climate change, while 9% are disengaged and 21% are doubtful or dismissive
Public health, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, creating green jobs and improving the economy rank among the five top perceived benefits of the nation taking action to reduce fossil fuel use and global warming

National Wildlife Federation Aug 23-Sept 1, 2012 Sample: 800 hunters and anglers

69% of sportsmen support reducing carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change
66% think we have a moral responsibility to confront global warming to protect our children’s future
49% of sportsmen prefer protecting natural resources on public lands over their use for oil and gas extraction, when given a choice between the two options (35% preferred prioritizing fossil fuel production)

University of Texas July 12-16, 2012 Sample: 1,039 online respondents

70% think the climate is changing, up from 65% in March 2012

Sierra Club and National Council of La Raza June 14-26, 2012 Sample: 1,131 registered Hispanic voters

77% of Latinos think that global climate change is already happening, compared to 52% of Americans overall
83% agree that “coal plants and oil refineries are a thing of the past. We need to look toward the future and use more energy from clean sources”
86% prefer that the government invest in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind
58% would pay more on their monthly electricity bills to receive their electricity from clean energy sources

Stanford University/Washington Post June 13-21, 2012 Sample: 804 adults

55% think a “great deal” or “good amount” can be done to reduce future global warming, while 60% say it will be extremely or very difficult to stop it
74% oppose the federal government increasing taxes on electricity to reduce climate change

The Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs May 25-June 8, 2012 Sample: 1,877 American adults

45% think the government isn’t doing enough to stop climate change, 35% think it is doing the right amount, and 18% think it is doing too much
42% think that scientists’ views on climate change are evenly divided, whereas 38% think there is a consensus between scientists on the issue
33% think that tackling climate change should be a “very important” foreign policy goal for the U.S.

Author: Marguerite Suozzo-Gole
Editor: Blaise Sheridan - Contact eesi [at] eesi.org for more information.

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