Majority expecting ‘significant negative effect’ from climate change: poll 

A majority of Americans believe that climate change will have a “significant negative effect” on the globe during their lifetime, according to a new poll.

The new Quinnipiac poll found that 55 percent of Americans are expecting a “significant negative effect” from climate change, while 41 percent are not. Two-thirds of respondents said they are concerned about climate change, including 42 percent saying they are very concerned and 25 percent saying they are somewhat concerned.

The poll also noted that about one-third say they are not so concerned or not at all concerned about climate change.

“Searing heat, devastating flooding, choking smoke. Americans are enduring a summer of weather-related calamities, with no age group more concerned than the youngest Americans,” Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy said.

Six in ten Americans said they believe climate change is related to extreme weather events in the U.S. over the past several years, but 34 percent said they are unrelated. Just over half of respondents said they are not worried that they or a family member may be affected by an extreme weather event while 46 percent of respondents said they are worried.

This new poll comes as a large portion of the U.S. has faced severe weather in summer 2023, including a weeks-long heatwave, fatal flash flooding and dangerous storms.

The poll was conducted among 2,056 adults from July 13 to 17 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.