This survey was conducted based on concerns growing from scientific evidence that extreme weather events are strongly linked to adverse health and environmental outcomes.
Serious health and financial problems from extreme weather
For households affected by wildfires in the past five years, more than one-third (38%) say they have faced serious health problems as a result of extreme weather, including 1 in 5 (19%) households affected by wildfires specifically citing serious health problems resulting from smoke or lack of clean air. When it comes to serious financial problems, one-third (33%) of households who have experienced rising sea levels, flooding in coastal communities and any type of major flooding in the past five years say they have had serious financial problems as a result of extreme weather.
Public support for government climate action
The public broadly (65%) believes the government should be doing more to limit climate change. However, in the current period of high inflation, the public largely favors policies seen as having less of a direct impact on their own financial situation. When faced with two broad policy choices—limiting carbon emissions and fortifying infrastructure to protect against weather disasters—there is generally higher public support for policies aimed at protecting against future weather disasters (e.g., 57% support increased state spending to prepare for future weather disasters) compared with reducing carbon emissions to limit climate change (e.g., only 39% support a carbon tax if it substantially increases their energy prices).
Summary
Overall, these results suggest that as weather disasters continue to worsen and become more prevalent in the future, public views may gradually shift toward greater support for many policies aimed to limit climate change, as wider shares of the public are personally impacted by these severe events.
Methodology
This poll was conducted March 31–May 5, 2022, among a probability-based, address-based, nationally representative sample of 2,646 U.S. adults ages 18 or older. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish, according to respondents’ preferences. This multi-modal survey offered adults three choices to complete the survey: online, landline, and cell phone.