How Religion Intersects With Americans’ Views on the Environment
No significant differences in views on protecting the environment for future generations depending on framing around scientists, religious leaders
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- How Religion Intersects With Americans’ Views on the Environment
- Highly religious Americans overwhelmingly say God gave humans a duty to protect and care for the Earth, but far fewer see climate change as a serious problem
- Religiously affiliated Americans commonly link their religious beliefs to the environment
- Highly religious Americans are less concerned about climate change, less convinced human activity is causing warmer temperatures
- Climate change gets relatively little attention in U.S. religious congregations
- One-in-ten U.S. adults say it is morally wrong to drive a car with low gas mileage
- Three-in-ten evangelicals say climate change is not a serious problem because God is in control of the climate
- Majority of evangelicals concerned environmental regulations will lead to loss of individual freedoms
- Within each major religious group, Republicans are much more likely than Democrats to say climate change is not a serious problem
- The connection among partisanship, religion and views about climate change, all else equal
- The composition of U.S. adults, by religious commitment and concern about climate change
- Highly religious Americans who are concerned about climate change skew Democratic
- Nearly four-in-ten U.S. adults believe ‘we are living in the end times’
- Those who believe humanity is living in the ‘end times’ are somewhat less likely to view climate change as a serious problem
- Americans who think about future generations view climate change as a very serious problem
- Religious ‘nones’ among most likely to say when we make decisions as a country, we should consider things previous generations did not
- Nearly half of Americans say that God gave humans duty to care for the Earth AND the right to use it
- Americans who are less concerned about climate change are more likely to hold dominionist views
- Nearly half of Americans do several things in their daily lives to help protect the environment
- Three-in-ten religious ‘nones’ did at least one civic activity last year to address climate change
- Four-in-ten regular religious attenders say their congregation has a group that helps protect the environment
- Two-thirds of religious ‘nones’ say the Earth is sacred
- Seven-in-ten Protestants believe the Bible contains lessons about the environment
- Three-in-ten Americans who say scripture contains lessons about the environment mention stewardship
- Two-thirds of all Americans say humans have a God-given duty to protect and care for the Earth
- Few Americans say God gave humans a right to use Earth for their benefit without a duty to protect it
- Younger Americans less likely to say humans are more important than other living things
- Among Americans who pray regularly, half say they pray for the environment
- Four-in-ten Americans believe we are living in the ‘end times’
- Many Americans believe that Jesus will return to Earth one day
- Many evangelicals believe the world will decline before Jesus returns; other Christians are less sure
- Nearly half of religious attenders never hear about climate change in sermons
- A third of regular religious service attenders have heard a sermon about climate change that expressed a duty to care for God’s creation
- For evangelical Protestants, religious leaders are a more trusted source of information on climate change than elected officials
- Few religious attenders regularly talk about climate change with their fellow congregants
- According to U.S. congregants, houses of worship more likely to have programs to help people in need than to help the environment
- Recycling and taking steps to be more energy efficient are relatively common among congregations
- Seven-in-ten Americans say being outdoors in nature is meaningful and fulfilling
- Most Americans have hiked outdoors within the past year
- Vast majority of U.S. adults say they make an effort to protect the environment at least some of the time
- Most Americans say they seek to reduce food waste, plastic and water usage
- Historically Black Protestant church members among most likely to say it’s important to conserve energy
- Majority of U.S. adults conserve energy both to save money and help environment
- Non-Christian religious groups among most likely to have donated money to fight climate change
- Americans more likely to see sex outside marriage than driving a gas-guzzling vehicle as morally wrong
- Highly religious Americans less likely to view inefficient energy practices as morally wrong
- Nine-in-ten atheists say the Earth is getting warmer mostly due to human activity
- Evangelical Protestants among the least likely to view global climate change as a serious problem
- One-in-five Protestants say climate change is not a serious problem because God is in control of the climate
- Religious ‘nones’ optimistic we can slow climate change, split on whether it will be difficult
- Most U.S. adults say society should focus both on slowing climate change and preparing to deal with its effects
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