Consumer Activism on Global Warming, September 2021
3.1 Most Americans think companies across industries should be doing more about global warming.
Half or more Americans say that each of the 22 industries asked about in our survey should be doing “more” or “much more” to address global warming. Two in three or more say fossil fuel companies (70%), airlines (69%), auto companies (68%), and trucking companies (67%) should be doing more.
In general, only about 10 to 15 percent of Americans say that these 22 industries should be doing “less” or “much less” to address global warming, with highs of 18% saying news organizations and 17% saying social media companies should be doing less. About 20 to 30 percent of Americans say that each of these types of companies are “currently doing the right amount” to address global warming.
3.2 A majority of Americans support companies taking climate-friendly actions.
Most Americans either “strongly” or “somewhat” agree that companies should take various climate-friendly actions. Three in four (75%) say companies should stop advertising their products and services on television networks that spread misinformation about climate change; 70% say companies should purchase 100% clean, renewable energy to power their operations; 65% say companies should not make campaign contributions to candidates who oppose action to reduce global warming; and 64% say car companies should do more to encourage people to buy electric vehicles.
3.3 Three in four or more Americans think stopping the spread of false information about global warming should be a priority for government, media organizations, and citizens.
Three in four or more Americans think stopping the spread of false information about global warming should be either a “medium” or “high” priority for the U.S. government (78%), news organizations (77%), social media companies (75%), and citizens themselves (75%). Only about one in four or fewer Americans think it should be either a “low priority” or “no priority” for each of these groups.
Table of Contents
1. Individual Consumer Actions
2. Consumers’ Collective Efficacy
Citation
Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E., Rosenthal, S., Kotcher, J., Neyens, L., Carman, J., Marlon, J., Lacroix, K., & Goldberg, M. (2021). Consumer Activism on Global Warming, September 2021. Yale University and George Mason University. New Haven, CT: Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Funding Sources
The research was funded by the 11th Hour Project, the Energy Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Grantham Foundation.