Increased Public Concern on Climate Change Tied to Recent Extreme Weather, Indicates Big Big News-NORC Poll

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Kathleen Maxwell, a resident of Phoenix for over two decades, expressed unprecedented fear during the past summer as daily temperatures consistently hit 110 degrees or above for an astonishing 31 days in a row.

“While the climate has always been torrid here, this past summer was exceptionally alarming,” noted Maxwell, 50. For the first time since March, she recently opened her windows and took her dog for an outdoor walk since May. “I found the prolonged heatwave genuinely terrifying. It raised questions about whether such conditions are the new norm.”

Maxwell attributes these conditions to climate change, and she is far from isolated in her thinking.

Latest data from The Big Big News-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research confirms that Americans increasingly believe they are directly experiencing the consequences of climate change, propelled by a summer marked by extreme heat across the nation.

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Up from 79% a few months ago in April, the data indicates that Americans who have endured extreme weather events—be it drought, intense heat, severe storms, wildfires, or flooding—now stand at 84%. Among these, about three-quarters consider climate change a contributing factor.

In summary, 64% of American adults acknowledge recent experiences with extreme weather and attribute it, at least partially, to climate change—an increase from 54% in April. Approximately 65% anticipate that climate change will have, or has already had, a significant impact during their lifetimes.

The recent surge in extreme temperatures appears to be a significant catalyst for this shift. About 74% of Americans report being affected by extreme heat or heatwaves in the last five years, up from 55% in April. Of those, 92% report experiencing such conditions in just the past few months.

This past summer has been recorded as the hottest ever in the Northern Hemisphere, according to both the World Meteorological Organization and the European climate service Copernicus.

U.S. residents were also impacted by Canada’s most devastating wildfire season to date, with around 60% of adults noting that the resultant smoke affected them either “significantly” (15%) or “moderately” (48%).

Globally, extreme weather events—from heat and storms to flooding and wildfires—have impacted tens of millions this year. Scientific consensus asserts that climate change is making these incidents increasingly frequent and severe.

Anthony Leiserowitz, the director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, stated that their bi-annual surveys have only shown a significant correlation between extreme weather experiences and climate change perceptions since 2016. “The correlation has been amplifying annually as conditions continue to deteriorate,” he noted.

Leiserowitz also pointed out a noteworthy shift in media coverage on climate change, which he believes has led the public to approach the subject in a more scientific manner than a decade ago.

Despite the prevailing data, Bruce Alvord, a 76-year-old retiree from Hagerstown, Maryland, remains skeptical about human-induced climate change. Alvord, a Republican, believes the climate is subject to natural fluctuations and discredits the notion that behavioral or policy changes are necessary.

Partisan divides are evident, with 93% of Democrats who have experienced extreme weather attributing it to climate change, as opposed to just 48% of Republicans.

The overall American belief in climate change remains stable at 74%, with partisan differences: 49% of Republicans believe in it, 26% reject it, and 25% remain uncertain. In contrast, 90% of Democrats acknowledge its occurrence.

Ronald Livingston, a 70-year-old retired history teacher from Clute, Texas, is keeping an open mind about climate change after experiencing drought and extreme heat that impacted his property and lifestyle. “The current patterns are concerning enough that they cannot be ignored for much longer,” Livingston said.

Jeremiah Bohr, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh specializing in climate change communication, suggests that scientific evidence alone may not be enough to change pre-existing opinions. People might be influenced if trusted figures or institutions endorse and disseminate climate change information, according to Bohr.

After the grueling summer, Maxwell hopes more Americans will recognize that climate change is a reality exacerbated by human activities and support steps to mitigate its effects. “Given the series of extreme weather events, it’s inconceivable to me that anyone would deny it,” she stated.

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The climate and environmental coverage by Big Big News is funded by several private foundations. All content is solely the responsibility of AP. The conducted poll surveyed 1,146 adults between September 7-11, 2023, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Climate Change Public Perception

More about Climate Change Public Perception

• Big Big News-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research
• World Meteorological Organization
• European Climate Service Copernicus
• Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
• AmeriSpeak Panel by NORC
• University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Faculty Profile: Jeremiah Bohr
• AP’s Climate Initiative