Over the last 10 years, attitudes toward climate change have changed. Several years ago, most people believed it was a very serious problem, and supported government action, but not today. Less than 50% of the public think it a very serious problem.
The shift appears most evident among 18-34 year olds. The percentage that see climate change as a very serious problem has dropped by 17 points in the past 3 years.
The article does not pinpoint why the changes happened. One likely cause is the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic. Young people in particular were affected by the pandemic, spending weeks out of school, isolated from friends, missing high school and college graduations, working online from home, among many significant life changes. In this regard, the salience of other issues – namely climate change — declines.
A last bit of information – the public’s response to the causes of climate change.
“Is climate change caused more by human activity, more by natural changes in the environment, or by both equally?
Human activity (34%); Natural changes (7%); Both (31%); Not sure (4%);
From previous question: 23% said climate change is not happening.
consider the politics 