A new poll reveals that a majority of American voters are connecting increasingly severe weather to the climate crisis, despite efforts by Donald Trump to dismiss global heating as a hoax. The survey, conducted by the progressive polling firm Data for Progress and shared exclusively with the Guardian, found that about 61% of likely voters believe extreme weather events have become more frequent over the past five years.
Bipartisan recognition of extreme weather trends
The poll shows significant recognition across party lines: 72% of Democrats, 63% of Independents, and nearly half (46%) of Republicans agree that extreme weather is increasing. Grace Adcox, senior climate strategist at Data for Progress, said the findings could serve as an entry point for bipartisan conversation about climate intervention.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, a longtime critic of what he calls climate-hushing, said the data adds to the mountain of evidence that the public is ahead of politicians on climate consequences. Climate hushers who ignore this righteous fight should take note, he told the Guardian.
Heatwaves lead public concern
When asked about specific forms of extreme weather worsened by climate change, majorities linked it to wildfires (64%), droughts (63%), flooding (62%), hurricanes (59%), and severe storms (59%). However, heatwaves topped the list at 67%, including 48% of Republicans—the highest share for any event surveyed.
Adcox noted that nearly everyone in the US has experienced unusually hot days recently, and extreme heat kills more people annually than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods combined. This gives heat an interesting opening salvo to discuss climate, she added.
Misconceptions about natural cycles persist
Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, said the findings are very consistent with Yale surveys showing Americans increasingly link extreme weather to climate change and want worker protections. However, Jennifer Marlon, a senior research scientist at Yale, cautioned that many still misunderstand the cause. A spring Yale survey found 27% think warming is mostly natural, which she called the biggest misconception.
Overwhelming support for worker heat protections
The poll also found broad support for policies requiring employers to provide heat protections like water, shade, breaks, and air conditioning. About 88% of likely voters favor such state-level policies, with only 7% opposed. This includes strong support across partisanship, indicating that protecting workers from dangerous heat is not a partisan issue, said Jessica E Martinez, executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.
Martinez said the public expects every worker to be protected, and the polling suggests support for a federal heat standard—something workers have demanded for years but stalled under Trump. The current administration allowed OSHA's heat enforcement initiative in April, then issued a weakened program.
Adcox expressed hope that highlighting the broad support for heat protections could illustrate what it looks like to take a climate approach that puts working people first.
