15 December 2016 – Despite the possibility of a drastic change in direction on climate change policy after the election of Donald Trump to the presidency in the USA, GlobeScan’s tracking shows that the American public now believes more than ever that climate change is a “very serious” problem.
Results from GlobeScan’s 2016 Radar research show that Americans’ sense that climate change is a serious issue has rebounded after steadily declining in the aftermath of the 2007–2008 financial crisis. Just over half of the public in the USA now say that climate change is a “very serious” issue – the highest level measured in 18 years of tracking.
Commenting on what might be behind the recent increase in concern about climate change in the USA and other countries, Chris Coulter, GlobeScan CEO, said: “The successful negotiation of the Paris Agreement at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21) at the end of 2015 likely inspired a renewed sense of focus around the issue, with national governments finally seen to achieve some degree of leadership. In the USA, the Obama administration has become particularly serious about tackling climate change, possibly influencing the population with a sense of urgency. Around the world, social movements also tirelessly continue to push the issue.”
Read the GlobeScan Radar Climate Change eBrief for additional insight
For more information please contact:
- Stacy Rowland, Director Public Relations and Communications, GlobeScan: stacy.rowland@globescan.com, +1 416-992-2705
