A growing number of Americans agree that climate change is affecting the planet, but they are less aligned on the causes and solutions, new surveys from Yale University show.
Concern about climate change has increased since 2010, along with support for renewable energy and climate policies like tax rebates for solar panels and energy-efficient vehicles, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found.
However, despite scientific consensus that human activities are the main cause of climate change, just 58% percent of survey respondents agreed. “The science is completely conclusive that this is not natural, yet it’s clear that so many Americans are still confused about that,” said Jennifer Marlon, lead researcher and a senior research scientist at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
The results follow the hottest year on record, which saw numerous heat waves, wildfires and severe storms.
