Resource Type: Social Science Research

The segment of the American public “alarmed” about climate change has grown from 17% (2008) to 26% (2020). This is the biggest change of any of the “Six Americas” global warming belief categories of public opinion (others include “concerned”, “cautious”, “disengaged”, “doubtful”, “dismissive”). Notably, higher proportions of Latinos (37%) and Black Americans (27%) are “alarmed”—as compared to White Americans (22%). Among the total population, the second biggest change from 2008-2020 has occurred among the “disengaged”, dropping from 15% (2008) to 6% (2020) of the US.             

Lack of racial and ethnic representation among journalists may relate to the common misperception that White Americans are the most concerned about climate change. Although news reporting on climate change plays a crucial role in shaping public understanding of the issue, little is known about racial/ethnic representation in climate change reporting. In a survey of over 1,000 professional journalists, this resource finds that White journalists were much more likely than Black, Hispanic, or multiracial journalists to have reported on at least one local climate change story in the past year. This lack of representation may contribute to the common misperception that concern about climate change is the domain of affluent Whites, when, in fact, people of color are actually more vulnerable to, and more concerned about, the impacts of climate change than their White counterparts. This resource also reports journalist perceptions of, and interest in, climate change reporting by race/ethnicity.

Relational climate conversations (talking about climate change with people you know) can be very effective at changing hearts and minds, but requires thoughtful practice to implement and evaluate. It takes more than just trainings and a script. Rather, the tactic only works with an existing organizational support structure that can create a community of collective accountability and help advocates navigate potentially vulnerable social interactions. Intentional focus on community-building and mutual support is key.  A panel presentation as part of the Greenpeace Data Activist Co-Op.