The majority of US voters are linking extreme weather events to the climate crisis, according to a recent study, despite Donald Trump's attempts to dismiss global heating as a 'con job' and a 'hoax'. This finding is particularly significant as it suggests that efforts to suppress polarizing climate concerns may not be as effective as previously thought. The survey, conducted by the progressive polling firm Data for Progress, found that 61% of likely American voters believe extreme weather events have become more frequent over the past five years. This includes 72% of Democrats, 63% of Independents, and 46% of Republicans. The study also revealed that majorities of Americans link climate change to worsening wildfires (64%), droughts (63%), flooding and flash flooding (62%), hurricanes (59%), and severe thunderstorms and hailstorms (59%). However, heatwaves topped the list, with 67% of respondents saying climate change is making them worse, including 48% of Republicans. This could be attributed to the fact that nearly everyone in the US has experienced unusually hot days or weeks in recent years, and high temperatures kill more people annually than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods combined. The findings indicate that scorching conditions could provide an 'interesting opening salvo' to speak about the climate crisis. Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, said the new poll's findings are 'very consistent' with the conclusions researchers have drawn based on Yale's surveys, which have shown Americans are increasingly linking extreme weather to the climate crisis and want to protect workers from heat. However, Jennifer Marlon, a senior research scientist at Yale, noted that many Americans still think the warming is due to some kind of natural cycle, which is a misconception. The survey findings could help inform how to frame future conversations about the climate crisis with skeptical Americans, particularly regarding heat as the form of extreme weather that invites the most conversation about climate. The study also found that about 88% of participants favor policies requiring employers to provide heat protections, such as access to drinking water, shade, breaks, and air conditioning. This broad support for worker protections indicates that the public expects every worker to be protected, and it could lead to the creation of a federal heat standard, something workers have demanded for years but progress on which has stalled under Trump. The current administration's efforts to address heat illness have been criticized for being weakened, and there is a hope that continuing to profile the strong support for extreme heat protections across partisanship will help illustrate a more inclusive approach to climate action.
