Research: We conduct unbiased social science research to identify opportunities to enhance public understanding of and engagement with climate change. Examples include:
Our Climate Change in the American Mind audience research project (with Yale's Program on Climate Change Communication) identified six distinct segments of the American public – known as Global Warming’s Six Americas. We've developed tools to enable organizations to assess the Six Americas composition of their audience.
Our research on public understanding of the scientific consensus about human-caused climate change yielded an important new answer to the question: What about climate change is most worth knowing? This finding has been used to inform several notable public education initiatives.
Our surveys of TV weathercasters revealed that many of these broadcasters are eager to educate their viewers about the local impacts of climate change in their community, but face challenges in doing so.
Our surveys of several American medical societies found that many physicians are seeing patients' health being harmed by climate change. We also learned that many physicians feel the medical community should advocate to limit climate change.
Our research on the impact of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ showed that he has helped many Americans to see climate change in a new light: as a moral issue.