The impact of extreme weather in views about climate policy in the United States

This national poll provides powerful evidence that public experiences with extreme weather shape views about climate issues and policies for the future. NPR, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health conducted a national survey, The Impact of Extreme Weather on Views About Climate Policy in the United States, from March 31 – May 8, 2022. This report examines serious problems facing U.S. households nationally who have recently experienced extreme weather events, as well as broader public experiences and perspectives on climate change and related policies.

Results from this poll show that the vast majority of U.S. adults say they have been personally affected by extreme weather events in the past five years. Many report these events caused serious health problems, serious financial problems, and property damage. On a range of policy measures, public support for government climate action is higher among U.S. adults who have been personally affected by extreme weather events in the past five years than those who have not. These results suggest that as weather disasters continue to worsen and become more prevalent in the future, public views may gradually shift toward greater support for many policies aimed to limit climate change, as wider shares of the public are personally impacted by these severe events. This survey was conducted based on concerns growing from scientific evidence that extreme weather events are strongly linked to adverse health and environmental outcomes.