climate change
in the american mind
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs
and Attitudes in May 2011
Climate Change in the American Mind:
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in
May 2011
Interview dates: April 23, 2011 – May 12, 2011
Interviews: 1,010 Adults (18+)
Margin of error: +/- 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
NOTE: All results show percentages among all respondents, unless otherwise labeled. Totals may
occasionally sum to more than 100 percent due to rounding.
This study was conducted by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication and the George
Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, and was funded by the Surdna
Foundation, the 11th Hour Project, and the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the
Environment.
Principal Investigators:
Anthony Leiserowitz, PhD
Yale Project on Climate Change Communication
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University
(203) 432-4865 anthony.leiserowitz@yale.edu
Edward Maibach, MPH, PhD
Center for Climate Change Communication
Department of Communication, George Mason University
(703) 993-1587 emaibach@gmu.edu
Connie Roser-Renouf, PhD
Center for Climate Change Communication
Department of Communication, George Mason University
(707) 825-0601 croserre@gmu.edu
Nicholas Smith, PhD
Yale Project on Climate Change Communication
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University
(203) 432-1208 nicholas.smith@yale.edu
Cite as: Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E., Roser-Renouf, C., & Smith, N. (2011) Climate change in the
American Mind: Americans’ global warming beliefs and attitudes in May 2011. Yale University and George
Mason University. New Haven, CT: Yale Project on Climate Change Communication.
http://environment.yale.edu/climate/files/ClimateBeliefsMay2011.pdf
Q471. Recently, you may have noticed that global warming has been getting some attention in the
news. Global warming refers to the idea that the world’s average temperature has been
increasing over the past 150 years, may be increasing more in the future, and that the world’s
climate may change as a result. What do you think? Do you think that global warming is
happening?
Yes
No
Don’t Know
May 2011
64
18
18
June 2010
61
18
21
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
57
71
20
10
23
19
People who answered yes to question 47 (i.e. those who believe global warming is happening) were asked the following
question.
Q48. How sure are you that global warming is happening?
Extremely sure
Very sure
Somewhat sure
Not at all sure
May 2011
21
33
40
6
June 2010
20
37
40
3
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
24
35
35
37
37
24
5
4
People who answered no to question 47 (i.e. those who do not believe global warming is happening) were asked the
following question.
Q49. How sure are you that global warming is not happening?
Extremely sure
Very sure
Somewhat sure
Not at all sure
May 2011
21
31
38
11
June 2010
20
31
44
4
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
28
26
31
28
34
38
7
8
1
Items are listed in the order they were asked despite occasional non-sequential item numbers. Items not shown in this
report are being released separately.
Yale / George Mason University
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
2
Q50. Assuming global warming is happening, do you think it is…
Caused mostly by human activities
Caused mostly by natural changes in the
environment
None of the above because global warming isn’t
happening
Caused by both human activities and natural changes
(volunteered)
Other
Don’t know (volunteered)
May 2011
47
June 2010
50
Jan 2010
47
Nov 2008
57
35
34
36
32
8
6
9
4
8
7
6
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Q54. Personally, how well informed do you feel you are about global warming?
Very well informed
Fairly well informed
Not very well informed
Not at all informed
May 2011
10
51
34
5
June 2010
12
49
35
3
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q59. Which comes closer to your own view?
Most scientists think global warming is happening
Most scientists think global warming is not
happening
There is a lot of disagreement among scientists about
whether or not global warming is happening
Don't know enough to say
May 2011 June 2010
39
34
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
34
47
4
4
5
3
40
45
40
33
18
17
22
18
Q30. To the best of your knowledge, what proportion of climate scientists think that global warming
is happening?
81 to 100%
61 to 80%
41 to 60%
21 to 40%
0 to 20%
Don’t know enough to say
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011 June 2010
13
19
23
12
3
31
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
3
Q31. To the best of your knowledge, what proportion of climate scientists think that global warming
is caused mostly by human activities?
81 to 100%
61 to 80%
41 to 60%
21 to 40%
0 to 20%
Don’t know enough to say
May 2011 June 2010
15
18
18
12
7
32
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q60. How worried are you about global warming?
Very worried
Somewhat worried
Not very worried
Not at all worried
May 2011
9
43
28
20
June 2010
12
41
30
18
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
12
17
38
46
27
24
23
13
Q62. How much do you think global warming will harm you personally?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
11
18
28
25
18
June 2010
10
21
27
24
18
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
14
10
23
22
22
24
31
22
11
23
Q63. How much do you think global warming will harm your family?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
13
21
26
23
18
June 2010
11
25
24
21
19
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
15
11
25
24
21
23
28
19
11
23
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
4
Q64. How much do you think global warming will harm people in your community?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
12
22
26
22
18
June 2010
11
25
24
21
19
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
15
13
27
26
22
20
24
17
12
23
Q65. How much do you think global warming will harm people in the United States?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
16
26
23
17
18
June 2010
16
28
22
17
18
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
22
21
29
28
16
15
22
14
12
22
Q66. How much do you think global warming will harm people in other modern industrialized
countries?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
17
25
23
17
19
June 2010
17
28
21
15
18
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
23
22
29
28
16
13
19
13
13
24
Q67. How much do you think global warming will harm people in developing countries?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
23
22
20
17
19
June 2010
22
28
17
15
18
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
29
31
25
22
14
11
19
13
13
24
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
5
Q68. How much do you think global warming will harm future generations of people?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
37
22
10
12
19
June 2010
39
22
11
12
16
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
42
44
22
17
9
7
15
10
12
22
Q69. How much do you think global warming will harm plant and animal species?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
39
19
12
13
18
June 2010
40
21
12
13
15
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
43
45
19
17
11
8
15
9
12
20
Q69A. How much do you think global warming will harm native plants in your area?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
25
25
17
16
18
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q69B. How much do you think global warming will harm wild animals in your area?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
25
23
18
16
18
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
6
Q69C. How much do you think global warming will harm wild birds in your area?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
26
23
18
16
18
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q69D. How much do you think global warming will harm crops in your area?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
28
22
19
14
17
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q69E. How much do you think global warming will harm pets in your area?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
20
19
22
21
19
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q69F. How much do you think global warming will harm people’s private property (e.g., homes,
cars, boats) in your area?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
11
18
25
27
20
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
7
Q69G. How much do you think global warming will harm public property (e.g., roads, schools,
sewer systems and public buildings) in your area?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
13
20
22
25
20
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q69H. How much do you think global warming will harm outdoor recreational places (e.g., parks,
beaches, lakes, rivers, forests) in your area?
A great deal
A moderate amount
Only a little
Not at all
Don’t know
May 2011
20
24
20
18
19
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q70. When do you think global warming will start to harm people in the United States?
They are being harmed now
In 10 years
In 25 years
In 50 years
In 100 years
Never
May 2011
32
12
13
12
11
20
June 2010
29
12
12
13
15
19
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
25
34
12
13
14
13
13
13
13
12
23
15
Q71. When do you think global warming will start to harm other people around the world?
They are being harmed now
In 10 years
In 25 years
In 50 years
In 100 years
Never
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
34
12
12
12
11
19
June 2010
32
11
13
12
13
18
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
28
38
13
13
12
12
12
12
13
11
22
14
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
8
Q61. How concerned are you about the impact of global warming on your health? (Measured on a
scale from 1-7, with one being “not at all concerned” and seven being “extremely concerned”.
May 2011
11
8
14
18
13
13
25
Seven (Extremely concerned)
Six
Five
Four
Three
Two
One (Not at all concerned)
June 2010
8
9
14
22
9
14
25
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
7
7
14
17
12
13
29
-
Q61A. How concerned are you about the impact of global warming on the health of other
Americans?
May 2011
11
8
15
17
12
13
24
Seven (Extremely concerned)
Six
Five
Four
Three
Two
One (Not at all concerned)
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q61B – Q61J. In the United States over the next 20 years, do you think global warming will cause
more or less of the following, if nothing is done to address it:
Deaths and injuries from hurricanes
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
30
25
23
1
2
20
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
9
Deaths and injuries from floods
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
May 2011
31
24
24
1
2
18
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Deaths and injuries from severe winter storms
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
May 2011
29
24
25
1
2
19
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Asthma and other diseases of the lungs
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
May 2011
24
23
27
2
2
22
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Cholera and other diseases carried by infected water
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
21
22
31
2
2
22
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
10
Diseases carried by insects, such as Lyme disease, West Nile virus and dengue fever
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
May 2011
21
24
29
1
2
22
June 2010
-
May 2011
26
27
25
1
2
20
June 2010
-
May 2011
26
28
25
1
2
18
June 2010
-
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Heat stroke
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Deaths and injuries from wildfires
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Increased malnutrition as a result of spikes in food prices
Many more
A few more
No difference
A few less
Many less
Don’t know
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
27
23
26
2
2
21
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
-
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
11
Q62A – Q62F. Some people say that global warming is already impacting the United States. Do you
agree or disagree that global warming is already causing or making the following things worse, or do
you not know?
Rivers flooding
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know
May 2011
17
31
14
14
25
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
May 2011
17
35
12
14
23
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
May 2011
17
28
16
15
25
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
May 2011
19
30
14
14
23
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Coastline erosion and flooding
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know
Wildfires
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know
Hurricanes
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know
Yale / George Mason University
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
12
Droughts
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know
May 2011
19
31
13
14
23
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
May 2011
9
17
15
14
46
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Damage from pine-bark beetles
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know
Q72. How much had you thought about global warming before today?
A lot
Some
A little
Not at all
May 2011
12
33
38
16
June 2010
18
37
32
13
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
15
20
31
35
36
33
18
12
Q73. How important is the issue of global warming to you personally?
Extremely important
Very important
Somewhat important
Not too important
Not at all important
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
7
15
38
25
14
June 2010
6
18
39
24
14
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
5
11
15
21
38
40
23
18
20
11
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
13
Q74. On some issues people feel that they have all the information they need in order to form a firm
opinion, while on other issues they would like more information before making up their
mind. For global warming, where would you place yourself?
May 2011
22
30
25
23
I need a lot more information
I need some more information
I need a little more information
I do not need any more information
June 2010
20
27
29
24
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
22
30
23
30
26
22
29
18
Q75. How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “I could easily change my
mind about global warming.”
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
May 2011
6
32
33
29
June 2010
5
32
36
27
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
5
5
30
28
31
34
34
34
Q135. Which of the following statements comes closest to your view?
May 2011 June 2010 Jan 2010 Nov 2008
Humans can reduce global warming, and we are
going to do so successfully
Humans could reduce global warming, but it’s unclear at
this point whether we will do what’s needed
Humans could reduce global warming, but people aren’t
willing to change their behavior, so we’re not going to
Humans can’t reduce global warming, even if it is happening
Global warming isn’t happening
5
5
10
6
41
47
45
51
25
21
17
22
18
11
18
10
15
13
16
5
Q161. How much do you trust or distrust the following as a source of information about global
warming?
Television weather reporters
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
5
47
34
14
June 2010
5
56
28
11
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
5
6
51
60
30
25
14
10
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
14
The mainstream news media
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
May 2011
4
34
37
25
June 2010
3
42
34
22
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
3
4
33
43
35
33
29
20
May 2011
21
55
19
5
June 2010
26
55
15
4
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
22
28
52
54
19
14
7
4
May 2011
11
35
24
30
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
16
13
35
38
21
23
28
26
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Scientists
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
President Obama
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
Your U.S. Congressman/Congresswoman
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
May 2011
2
34
39
24
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
15
47
26
12
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
15
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
May 2011
11
48
28
13
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
May 2011
14
55
23
8
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
May 2011
22
54
18
6
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
May 2011
12
61
20
6
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
The National Park Service
Strongly trust
Somewhat trust
Somewhat distrust
Strongly distrust
Q235. The actions of a single individual won’t make any difference in global warming.
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
15
31
36
19
June 2010
13
29
43
15
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
17
9
29
22
37
45
17
24
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
16
Q237. New technologies can solve global warming, without individuals having to make big changes
in their lives.
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
May 2011
7
40
33
21
June 2010
6
33
40
21
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
6
4
42
26
33
46
19
25
Q238. Most of my friends are trying to act in ways that reduce global warming.
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
May 2011
4
41
38
18
June 2010
5
47
36
12
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
5
4
43
44
37
40
14
11
Q238A. With the economy in such bad shape, the US can’t afford to reduce global warming.
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
May 2011
15
37
33
16
June 2010
13
30
42
15
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q238B. The record heat waves last summer in the United States strengthened my belief that global
warming is occurring.
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
May 2011
13
41
26
20
June 2010
-
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Q238C. The record snowstorms this winter in the eastern United States make me question
whether global warming is occurring.
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Yale / George Mason University
May 2011
13
34
30
24
June 2010
17
35
29
20
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
-
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
17
Q236. I have personally experienced the effects of global warming.
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
May 2011
5
29
34
32
June 2010
5
25
35
35
Jan 2010 Nov 2008
5
4
21
29
35
43
40
24
Methodology
These results come from nationally representative surveys of American adults, aged 18 and older.
The samples were weighted to correspond with US Census Bureau parameters for the United States.
The surveys were designed by Anthony Leiserowitz of Yale University and Edward Maibach and
Connie Roser-Renouf of George Mason University and conducted by Knowledge Networks, using
an online research panel of American adults.
May 2011: Fielded April 23 through May 12 with 1,010 American adults. The margin of
sampling error is plus or minus 3 percent, with 95 percent confidence.
June 2010: Fielded May 14 through June 1 with 1,024 American adults. The margin of
sampling error is plus or minus 3 percent, with 95 percent confidence.
January 2010: Fielded December 24, 2009 through January 3, 2010 with 1,001 American
adults. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percent, with 95 percent confidence.
November 2008: Fielded October 7 through November 12 with 2,164 American adults.
Data was collected in two waves: wave 1 from October 7 through October 20 and wave 2
from October 24 through November 12. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2
percent, with 95 percent confidence.
Yale / George Mason University
Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs & Attitudes: May 2011
18