Global Warming’s Six Americas: It's Not About Deniers Anymore

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Climate change protests have been sweeping the entire globe in recent years. Yet not everyone is convinced. (Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash)[/caption]

Since the very beginning of the debate about climate change, we've been able to see a binary division between ‘believers’ and ‘deniers’.

Between those who fear for the planet’s future, and those who disparage science.

Between politicians who push the shift towards renewable energies – and those who bring snowballs into Congress to disprove global warming.

But in the face of the complexity of climate change, this dichotomy is no longer sufficient.

Instead, it is necessary to move beyond simple distinctions and acknowledge the multi-layered attitudes of Americans towards climate change.

Why?

To tailor communication strategies.

The climate crisis is real, that much is certain. And we need to take action. However, to take such action, it's essential to have broad support in the population.

It't all too easy to just label people that express doubt as straight-up climate deniers. If we simply dismiss them, however, we cannot hope to win them over. Yet it's essential to gather as much support as possible.

Ultimately, the future of the fight against climate change is in collective action. This can only be achieved with effective communication.

And the cardinal rule of effective communication is this: Know Your Audience!

That is why the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication ran large-scale surveys to identify patterns audiences reactions to climate news.

Interviewing almost 14.000 Americans, they examined respondents’ common attitudes, risk perceptions, belief systems, motivations, values and policy preferences.

The outcome of this effort is ‘Global Warming’s Six Americas‘. An outline of six distinct types of audience that show starkly different levels of engagement with the climate crisis.

Here is what you need to know about the Six Americas of climate change - and how tailoring communication strategies to each of them could help save us all.

Global Warming's Six Americas

Global Warming’s Six Americas audience types do not just differ in whether they believe climate change is happening.

In addition, people have widely differing opinions on who will suffer the consequences - and when.

Here is the run-down on the essential characteristics of each group, based on the original survey (which the Yale project has since repeated several times).

If you’re wondering which of the Six Americas you belong to, the survey is also available as an online quiz for the curious.

 

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Artwork by Michael Sloan. Image courtesy of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.[/caption]

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Six Americas distribution over time, 2015-2025. The Alarmed have grown from 11% to 25% — the largest segment shift in the survey's history. Source: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.[/caption]

1 - Alarmed

First, members of the ‘alarmed’ group are certain that global warming is happening.

They see themselves as well-informed about the scientific basis of climate change. What’s more, the topic has a considerable prominence in their lives.

Importantly, they also see climate change both as a threat to future generations, and as something that is happening right now.

2 - Concerned

While the ‘concerned’ also believe that climate change is real, the issue is less important to them.

They worry about the impacts of climate change. Still, it is not a topic that figures prominently in their everyday lives.

Above all, they also see it less as a personal threat, and more as a problem for future generations. Most believe that climate change would start to negatively impact the US in the next 10 years.

3 - Cautious

The ‘cautious’ think that climate change is happening but are not entirely convinced. They are open to having their minds changed - in either direction.

Most members of this group see themselves as not very well-informed about climate change. About half of them think that human activities are causing it.

Like the ‘concerned’, the ‘cautious’ see climate change not as a personal threat, but as something that is going to impact future generations. They think things will get critical in around 35 years.

4 - Disengaged

Members of the ‘disengaged’ group are not sure global warming is happening. And don’t think about the issue a lot.

Crucially, this group is most likely to have their minds changed.

At the moment, just 30% of them believe human activities cause climate change. Most don’t know whether it will harm them or future generations. When asked, they estimate that it may affect the US in 30 years.

5 - Doubtful

Those who belong to the ‘doubtful’ group don’t know if climate change is happening. Either way, they don’t think it’s personally relevant to them.

They are not worried about it, don’t engage with the topic, and think that there is considerable scientific disagreement.

Consequently, most believe that the US will only start to feel impacts in around 100 years - if at all.

6 - Dismissive

Finally, the ‘dismissive’ group is the opposite end of the spectrum from the ‘alarmed’. Members of this group expressly don’t believe that climate change is happening.

Unlike the ‘disengaged’ and the ‘doubtful’, they engage with the topic frequently and believe themselves to be well-informed.

They either believe that there is no such thing as global warming, or that it is a natural process and not caused by human activities.

As a result, they believe that climate change won’t harm them, future generations, or the US as a whole.

Members of this group are the least likely to have their minds changed on the subject.