By Catherine Fraser and Grace Adcox
As Americans continue to learn about climate change and experience in real time its impacts — like the tornadoes that recently devastated Texas — concern, worry, and anxiety about climate change are predicted to rise. New polling from Data for Progress finds that nearly 3 in 4 voters (74%) are somewhat or very concerned that future generations will be more affected by climate change than they will be in their lifetime. This includes a majority of Democrats (94%), Independents (71%), and Republicans (59%).
Beyond concern for future generations, voters report that their feelings about climate change negatively impact aspects of their daily lives. A majority say they feel negatively affected a little or a lot when planning for the future (55%) and spending time in nature (54%). Meanwhile, many voters also report experiencing negative impacts to relaxing (44%), eating (43%), sleeping (39%), concentrating (38%), work or school (33%), and relationships (30%) as a result of their feelings about climate change.
In particular, voters under 45, Black voters, and Latino voters indicate at higher rates that climate change negatively impacts various aspects of their daily life. Roughly two-thirds of voters across each group say they experience negative impacts while planning for the future (67%, 66%, and 68%, respectively) and spending time in nature (66%, 66%, and 71%, respectively), and at least half within each group report negative impacts when relaxing, eating, sleeping, and concentrating.
In addition to saying they experience negative impacts when thinking about the future generally as a result of climate change, some voters, especially those under 45, agree that climate change will impact their future decisions. A majority say that climate change will impact their health (58%) and that it will impact where they live (56%); among voters under 45, those numbers rise to 65% and 64%, respectively. A plurality of voters think that climate change will impact their finances (46%), including 54% of voters under 45. Notably, half of voters under 45 agree climate change will impact their decision to have children.
To help people with climate anxiety, voters are most supportive of providing funding for federal disaster response programs (35%) and helping to make communities more resilient to climate change (29%). Voters also support a variety of mental health services to address climate anxiety, including mental health help hotlines (27%), educational events (26%), free or subsidized mental health care (26%), community climate education and meeting centers (26%), and integrated care for both physical and mental health (24%).
Moreover, a bipartisan majority of voters (69%) support the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act, which would establish a $36 million grant program through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide funding to community-based mental wellness and resilience programs. Respondents read a description of the bill that stated this funding would be intended to address mental health issues arising from impacts from climate change, including extreme weather events, natural disasters, and rising temperatures.
Moreover, a narrow majority of voters agree (52%) that state and federal governments should fund resources for climate anxiety, rather than private individuals and organizations (38%). This includes majorities of Democrats (69%), Black voters (64%), and voters under 45 (60%).
Finally, voters were asked what emotions they felt after they were randomly assigned to read one of two different excerpts from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, one of which communicated a more positive outlook for the climate and the other a more negative outlook:
Positive excerpt: “There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all. However, effective adaptation options exist to help protect human health and well-being.”
Negative excerpt: “Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health. There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all.”
After reading the more negative excerpt, voters most describe feeling concerned (61%), worried (49%), skeptical (38%), sad (30%), and doubtful (29%).
In contrast, after reading the more positive excerpt, voters most describe feeling concerned (51%), skeptical (41%), worried (36%), hopeful (34%), and doubtful (32%). Notably, the more positive excerpt incites less concern and worry than the negative excerpt, but slightly more voters say they feel skeptical after reading the optimistic frame than after reading the negative one.
In addition, the proportion of voters who report feeling hopeful after reading the more positive IPCC message is 13 percentage points higher (34%) than it is for those who read the more negative message (21%). This finding highlights the importance of how advocates talk about climate change, with optimistic messages likely a better avenue for motivating and sustaining a long-term movement.
As climate change progresses, its effects on anxiety and mental health will only intensify. These findings show broad support for expanding publicly funded resources and support services for people with climate anxiety.
If you or someone you know is struggling with climate anxiety, here are some resources to learn more and find help:
Climate Psychiatry Alliance and Climate Psychology Alliance North America’s Climate-Aware Therapist Directory
Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Anxiety, by Britt Wray (The Experiment Publishing)
The All We Can Save Project x Gen Dread – Resources for Working with Climate Emotions
Climate Mental Health Network’s Resource Page
Catherine Fraser (@cathwfraser) is the Senior Climate and Energy Program Associate at Data for Progress.
Grace Adcox (@GraceAdcox) is the Senior Climate Strategist at Data for Progress.
Survey Methodology
From May 10 to 11, 2024, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,168 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and 2020 recalled vote. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±3 percentage points. Results for subgroups of the sample are subject to increased margins of error. Partisanship reflected in tabulations is based on self-identified party affiliation, not partisan registration. For more information please visit dataforprogress.org/our-methodology.
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