Public Resource
Poll: America catches up with climate science
- 70% of respondents to a recent U.S. survey are aware of the scientific consensus that climate change is largely caused by people, and that the world isn't on track to reach the temperature reduction targets of the Paris climate agreement -- suggesting Americans' understanding of climate change has increased in recent years, and particularly over the last five years.
- Republicans had the lowest share of correct answers, but a slight majority (52%) were aware of both the scientific consensus and the reality that the world hasn't made enough progress toward the Paris targets.
- The poll found some significant demographic differences:
- 80% of people with college degrees or higher answering the question correctly, compared to 73% of people with some college and 65% of those with a high school degree or less.
- 77% of urban respondents and 73% of suburban respondents answered the question correctly, compared to 61% of rural respondents.
- The poll found no significant differences by age, income or region of the country.