---
title: "Americans on what causes climate change: Human activity or natural patterns?"
description: "Key takeaways: Almost all climate scientists say the planet is warming, and that this is caused mostly by human activity. But a far smaller share of the American public has shared this view over the last decade. Pew Research Center has been tracking Americans’ views on the cause of climate change since 2016 using our […]"
date: "2026-05-28"
authors:
  - name: "Brian Kennedy"
    job_title: "Senior Researcher"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/brian-kennedy/"
  - name: "Isabelle Pula"
    job_title: "Research Assistant"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/isabelle-pula/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2026/05/28/americans-on-what-causes-climate-change-human-activity-or-natural-patterns/"
categories:
  - "Climate, Energy & Environment"
---

# Americans on what causes climate change: Human activity or natural patterns?

**About this research**

This Pew Research Center report looks at Americans’ views of climate change, the environment and related topics.

**Why did we do this?**

Pew Research Center does research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. This research builds on our long-standing work studying Americans’ views of [climate change and environmental issues](https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/science/science-issues/climate-energy-environment/).

Learn more [about Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/about/) and our other research on [science and society](https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/science/).

**How did we do this?**

For this report, we surveyed 3,524 U.S. adults from March 16 to 22, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center’s [American Trends Panel](https://www.pewresearch.org/the-american-trends-panel/). The survey represents the views of the full U.S. adult population.

Here are the [survey questions](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PS_2026.5.28_climate_questionnaire.pdf) used for this report, the [detailed responses](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PS_2026.5.28_climate_topline.pdf) and the [survey methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2026/05/28/climate-change-may-2026-methodology/).

#### **Key takeaways:**

- The share of Americans who say climate change is mostly the result of human activity has largely not changed in the last decade.

- Younger Republicans are more likely than older Republicans to say the Earth is warming mostly due to human activity. But younger Republicans are still far less likely than Democrats of all ages to hold this view.

- Among Democrats, those with more education are more likely to say climate change is mostly due to human activity. There are no education differences among Republicans.

Almost all climate scientists [say the planet is warming](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac2774), and that this is caused mostly by human activity. But a far smaller share of the American public has shared this view over the last decade.

[![Chart shows About half of Americans say the Earth is getting warmer due to human activity](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PS_2026.5.28_climate_1-01.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=307268)

Pew Research Center has been tracking Americans’ views on the cause of climate change since 2016 using our American Trends Panel. In this section, we explore trends over the past decade in more detail.

**Americans’ views on what, if anything, is causing climate change have been largely stable since 2016.**

In the latest survey, about half (48%) say that the Earth is getting warmer mostly because of human activity, such as burning fossil fuels. The share of Americans who hold this view has hovered around 50% since 2016, ranging from 45% to 53%.

Fewer Americans overall say climate change is the result of natural patterns in the Earth’s environment (22%). This share has ranged from 17% to 26% since 2016.

**The share of Americans who say there is no solid evidence the Earth is getting warmer has been a consistent minority in our surveys.** Only about one-in-ten (12%) hold this view in the latest poll. This share has ranged from 9% to 21% over the last decade.

Another 17% say they are not sure why the Earth is getting warmer, or if it is at all. This share is about the same as it was in 2016.

### Most Democrats say climate change is the result of human activity, while Republicans’ views are more varied

Democrats and Republicans have consistently held different views on what causes climate change.

In the new survey, three-quarters of Democrats and Democratic leaners say climate change is the result of human activity. About two-in-ten Republicans and Republican leaners (21%) say the same, a difference of 54 percentage points. This gap has been very wide – at least 46 points – in every survey we’ve conducted since 2016.

[![Chart shows Wide partisan divides on the main cause of climate change persist](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PS_2026.5.28_climate_1-02.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=307269)

The share of Democrats who say the Earth is warming due to human activity is slightly higher than it was in 2016, while the share among Republicans has not changed.

Republicans have been consistently more likely than Democrats to say the Earth is getting warmer due to natural patterns. Today, 37% of Republicans say this is the case, compared with 9% of Democrats.

Republicans have also been more likely than Democrats to say there is no solid evidence that the Earth is warming. Still, only one-quarter of Republicans or fewer have held this view in most of our surveys.

We also find ideological differences among both Republicans and Democrats. A larger share of moderate and liberal Republicans say the Earth is getting warmer because of human activity than conservative Republicans (31% vs. 14%).

And although majorities of Democrats across the ideological spectrum say climate change is mostly the result of human activity, liberal Democrats have been consistently more likely than moderate and conservative Democrats to say this (87% vs. 66%).

### Americans with more education are more likely to say humans cause climate change, but there’s no such divide among Republicans

Past Center surveys have found that Americans with [higher levels of formal education](https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2020/06/23/two-thirds-of-americans-think-government-should-do-more-on-climate/#political-groups-continue-to-differ-over-role-human-activity-plays-in-climate-change) are more likely to say human activity is a big cause of climate change. This pattern is driven by Democrats. In contrast, Republicans of all education levels are unlikely to say climate change is mostly the result of human activity.

[![Chart shows Democrats drive education differences in overall views on the role of human activity in climate change](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PS_2026.5.28_climate_1-03.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=307270)

In the new survey, 90% of Democrats with a postgraduate degree say the Earth is warming mostly because of human activity, compared with 63% of Democrats with a high school diploma or less education.

**Around one-in-five Republicans across education levels say climate change is mostly the result of human activity.**

Republicans with more education are more likely to say the Earth is warming because of natural patterns: 48% of those with a postgraduate degree say this, compared with 29% of those with a high school diploma or less education.

### Younger Republicans are more likely than older ones to say humans cause climate change

Younger Americans have been consistently more likely to say climate change is mostly caused by human activity, but this is driven by age differences among Republicans.

[![Chart shows Younger Republicans are more likely than older Republicans to say climate change is mainly caused by human activity](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/05/PS_2026.5.28_climate_1-04.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=307271)

In the latest survey, about four-in-ten Republicans ages 18 to 29 say the Earth is warming mostly because of human activity. By comparison, just 15% of Republicans ages 50 to 64 and 8% of those ages 65 and older say the same.

Younger Republicans are still far less likely than Democrats of all ages to say the Earth is warming mostly due to human activity.

Republicans ages 65 and older are about three times more likely than those under 30 to say there is no solid evidence that the Earth is warming (31% vs. 10%).

There are no differences by age among Democrats. Most Democrats across age groups say climate change is mostly caused by human activity.

---

**Next:** [Do Americans think extreme weather is worse today than in the past?](https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2026/05/28/do-americans-think-extreme-weather-is-worse-today-than-in-the-past.md)