Despite a pronounced shift in US political and media discourse away from the climate crisis, a significant majority of the American public continues to express concern and favour action to address it, according to recent expert analysis and polling data. This public sentiment stands in stark contrast to the current political landscape, where figures like former President Donald Trump actively promote fossil fuel expansion.
Research from Yale University's climate communication programme indicates that around two-thirds of Americans are worried about the climate crisis. This proportion has remained consistent, even as other global events and economic issues, such as international conflicts and inflation, have dominated news cycles. Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale programme, highlighted that the 2024 election was not a referendum on climate change, asserting that Americans' belief in and support for climate action has not wavered.
However, this sustained public concern is not reflected in the US media landscape. There has been a notable reduction in climate change coverage, with several prominent outlets reportedly cutting positions for climate journalists. This decline in media attention occurs even as parts of the country experience increasing heatwaves, droughts, and other severe climate impacts. Leiserowitz described this phenomenon as a 'spiral of climate silence', noting that a lack of media discourse means people are hearing and talking about climate change less.
Interestingly, despite this reduced coverage, Yale's polling reveals that a majority of US voters now connect rising living costs, including increased petrol prices, to the climate crisis. This suggests a growing public awareness of the economic implications, even without extensive media reinforcement. Furthermore, former President Trump's attempts to halt renewable energy projects and escalate oil, gas, and coal production are broadly unpopular with the American public, challenging assumptions that embracing fossil fuels is a mainstream position.
Polling data illustrates this unpopularity: a mere 7% of American voters would support a candidate who advocates for decreasing renewable energy use, and just 14% desire a candidate pushing for more fossil fuels. Leiserowitz emphasised that the former president's viewpoint on these matters is not shared by most Americans, or even by a majority of conservative Republicans. While climate remains a polarised issue in the US, Americans generally hold positive views of clean energy and negative perceptions of fossil fuels, often associating them with pollution.
The climate crisis has rarely held a headline political position in the US, leading to erratic progress in confronting global heating. Despite this, the escalating impacts of rising temperatures, including heatwaves, wildfire smoke, and storms, are already taking a significant toll on Americans' health and finances.
Source: Yale University