Key findings: How Americans’ attitudes about climate change differ by generation, party and other factors
Majorities of Americans say the federal government, businesses and other actors are doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Majorities of Americans say the federal government, businesses and other actors are doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change.
Majorities of Americans support an array of measures to address climate change but stop short of a full break with fossil fuels.
Majorities across 20 publics say government investments in scientific research are worthwhile and express a lot or some confidence in scientists to do what is right for the public.
There are widely held concerns about the safety and effectiveness of a possible vaccine and the pace of the approval process.
Americans’ expectations for the year ahead include an effective treatment or cure for COVID-19, as well as a vaccine to prevent the disease.
77% think vaccinations will benefit the economy.
Black Americans stand out from other racial and ethnic groups in their attitudes toward key health care questions associated with the pandemic.
Views about the health effects of genetically modified foods grew more negative between 2016 and 2018 and have been steady since then.
In 2019, 74% of Americans said they had a mostly positive view of doctors; 68% had a mostly favorable view of medical research scientists.
As in 2016, 88% of U.S. adults say its benefits outweigh the risks. And the share who consider its preventive benefits to be “very high” rose by 11 points to 56%.
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