Climate Matters•September 24, 2025
The latest global data show that most people want to see more climate action — which is the focus of Climate Week NYC and major U.N. meetings this week.
But surveys also show that people in the U.S. and around the globe vastly underestimate how much their fellow citizens care about climate change.
These widespread misperceptions matter because they can lead to silence and inaction on climate.
Talking about climate change can realign perceptions with the reality that most people support climate action.
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It’s Climate Week NYC. This event overlaps with the annual gathering of leaders from 193 countries at the United Nations (U.N.) headquarters in New York.
Climate change is high on the U.N. agenda for the week. At a Climate Summit on September 24, representatives from nearly every nation will be called upon to share updated, more ambitious climate action plans ahead of the November deadline.
Whether in formal U.N. meetings or during hundreds of events across the city, climate action is a major focus for leaders in government this week.
And the latest science shows that this is what most people want to see.
A 2024 study shows that 89% of people around the globe want more climate action from national governments.
The same study also found that about two in every three people globally are willing to contribute 1% of their income toward climate action.
But critically, in all 125 countries surveyed, individuals vastly underestimate their fellow citizens’ willingness to contribute toward climate action.
These kinds of misperceptions are pervasive.
In the U.S., research shows that most people are concerned about climate change and support climate action. But Americans also significantly underestimate levels of climate concern and policy support among fellow citizens.
These perception gaps matter because when people perceive lower levels of public support for climate action, they’re more likely to self-silence on the issue. And silence can perpetuate these misperceptions and stifle action.
This is borne out by the latest Yale/George Mason surveys showing that the U.S. public is mostly silent on climate. Most Americans (65%) rarely or never discuss global warming with family and friends. And only 18% hear about climate change in the media at least weekly.
Raising awareness about widespread public support for climate action is key to closing this perception gap.
Reporting the facts on the actual majority levels of climate concern and support for government action in the U.S. could be one way to re-align public perceptions with reality.
This is the focus of the ongoing 89 Percent Project, an initiative from Covering Climate Now.
Research also suggests that communicating about the human causes of climate change can improve public understanding and engagement on climate change.
Climate Central’s tools show how human-caused climate change is influencing daily temperatures around the globe, every day.
Talking about climate change more often with others — even if we assume they’re not concerned — could also bring our perceptions more in line with the reality that most Americans are concerned about climate change and support climate action.
At a time when the global scientific community has concluded unequivocally that human influence has warmed the planet; that more than 3 billion people live in climate-vulnerable situations; and that continued warming puts humans and ecosystems at increasing risk — we need more people talking about climate change, not fewer.
The Yale Climate Opinion Maps show how Americans’ climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy support vary at the state, congressional district, metro area, and county levels. Use YPCCC’s interactive tool to generate climate opinion factsheets at state, county, and congressional district levels, in English and Spanish. For a global perspective, explore the Peoples’ Climate Vote 2024, a representative survey of people in 77 countries, carried out by the United Nations Development Programme and the University of Oxford.
A 2024 guide from Yale Climate Connections offers strategies to start low-conflict climate conversations. A communication guide from the Potential Energy Coalition offers lessons on effective climate communication. Check out Katharine Hayhoe’s 2019 TED talk, “The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it” for some inspiration. The Nature Conservancy’s Can We Talk Climate? offers tips and an e-book on starting connected climate conversations.
A Decade of Growth for U.S. Solar and Wind shows that the U.S. produced enough solar and wind power in 2024 to power 70 million homes — reflecting a 10-year growth curve in both technologies at the state and national levels.
Clean Energy Investment in Every State shows which states and clean energy technologies have seen the most investment so far.
Climate Solutions in Every State reviews options to quickly reduce emissions in each U.S. state’s top-emitting sector.
Submit a request to SciLine from the American Association for the Advancement of Science or to the Climate Data Concierge from Columbia University. These free services rapidly connect journalists to relevant scientific experts.
Browse maps of climate experts and services at regional NOAA, USDA, and Department of the Interior offices.
Explore databases such as 500 Women Scientists, BIPOC Climate and Energy Justice PhDs, and Diverse Sources to find and amplify diverse expert voices.
Reach out to your State Climate Office or the nearest Land-Grant University to connect with scientists, educators, and extension staff in your local area.
