Broad majorities of Americans see climate change as a serious problem and favor government regulation of greenhouse gas emissions to address it. Yet, the public is divided on the urgency of the issue, a contrast to the views of leaders at the COP26 climate summit in Scotland.
Leaders at the global conference, which ends today, described climate change as an existential threat to humanity that demands a concerted response. In a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, however, Americans split, 45-49%, on whether it’s “an urgent problem that requires immediate government action” or “a longer-term problem that requires more study” first. (Five percent volunteer that it’s not a problem.) Views that it’s urgent are 8 percentage points off their peak, 53%, in 2018. CONTINUED
Gary Langer & Christine Filer, ABC News
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