Americans hold diverse views on global warming, falling into six distinct groups – Global Warming’s Six Americas – that range in their beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences and behavior. Climate change is a top-tier issue in the 2016 presidential election only for Americans who are in the most engaged of the six groups – the Alarmed (a group constituting 17% of the U.S. population and 19% of registered voters).
However, presidential candidates who support taking action to reduce global warming are also more likely to earn the votes of a large majority of the Concerned (28% of the population and 29% of registered voters) and a substantial minority of the Cautious (27% of the population and 25% of registered voters). Conversely, candidates who oppose taking action on global warming are less likely to earn the votes of Americans in three of the six groups. Only the Dismissive (10% of the population and of registered voters) are more likely to vote for a candidate who opposes action on global warming. CONT.
Yale Program on Climate Change Communication & Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason U.
