The Six Americas' Latest Interpretation and Response to Climate Change

 On June 28, 2011, the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication released its fourth report on Americans’ interpretation and responses to climate change. Global Warming’s Six Americas in May 2011 is based on a national survey of the American public and shows that the proportion of the population in each of the Six Americas has remained relatively stable over the past year.

Based on a survey of 981 adults between April 23rd and May 12th 2011, some of the report’s key findings include:

Uncertainty
Uncertainty about the issue remains high: More than a third of Americans say they could easily change their minds about global warming; all of the Six Americas (except the Dismissive) say they need at least a little more information before making up their minds about global warming

Questions
Americans have many questions about global warming: If given the chance to talk to an expert on the issue, most Americans would ask nine or more questions (out of a possible 13). The most common question is: “How do (experts) know that global warming is caused by human activities, rather than natural changes in the environment?”

Causation

Three out of four of the Alarmed and Concerned say that global warming is caused primarily by human activities, while 85 percent or more of the Doubtful and Dismissive say either it is caused by natural changes in the environment, or it is not happening. The Cautious and Disengaged are more divided.

Scientific Agreement
While approximately 97% of publishing climate scientists agree that climate change is occurring and that it is caused primarily by human activities, this high level of scientific agreement is understood by only 44 percent of the Alarmed, 18 percent of the Concerned, 12 percent of the Cautious, and 5 percent or fewer of the Disengaged, Doubtful and Dismissive.

Priority
Two-thirds of Americans say that developing sources of clean energy should be a high or very high priority for the president and Congress, and half say that global warming should be. Both issues are marked by polarization among the Six Americas.