FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2026
Contact:
Ashley Sullivan, ashley.sulivan@weact.org, 1 (917) 837-1183
Eric Fine, eric.fine@yale.edu
Michaela Hobbs, michaela.hobbs@yale.edu
Study shows despite greater climate vulnerability for frontline groups, frontline communities and national respondents are equally worried about global warming (both 65%). Research emphasizes the importance of connecting dots between climate change and its direct impacts.
WASHINGTON – A brand-new study and an associated ArcGIS StoryMap from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC), WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication shares findings that frontline and non-frontline communities are equally worried about global warming (both groups 65%). However, people in frontline communities are more worried about specific impacts such as extreme heat and power outages. Frontline communities, who are disproportionately lower-income and/or Black, Hispanic/Latino/a/e, and Indigenous, face the most exposure to climate impacts. Despite being hit first and worst by climate change, this new research shows frontline groups are often less likely to hear about global warming from the media or friends and family, or to know that a majority of scientists agree that global warming is happening. In order to support frontline communities in driving their own climate solutions and advocacy, uplifting personal stories of climate change impacts and experiences like extreme heat – including health impacts – is most effective. Key recommendations include 1) Engaging with communities around specific impacts of climate change and emphasizing how climate change worsens these impacts; 2) Highlighting how investment projects that address these direct impacts and climate benefit the people who live there and; 3) Increasing conversations about climate change among frontline communities.
“As we witness the greatest rollbacks to climate justice research, protections, funding, and programs in our lifetime, it is important to recognize that people living in frontline communities remain greatly worried about the impacts these rollbacks have on their lives. We know these communities are the most vulnerable to the growing harmful impacts of climate change and and the most worried over these impacts – things like power outages, extreme heat, and other deadly weather such as hurricanes and floods. The findings validate the importance of clearly communicating the connections between lived experiences and climate.
Our findings also highlight the essential role climate communication has within programs meant to address these environmental and climate justice harms. Rather than speaking about climate change as a broad and abstract problem, focusing on community specific impacts and explaining how policy programs such as Justice40 and legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act are addressing specific problems caused and exacerbated by climate change is much more likely to resonate with these communities.” – Manuel Salgado, Federal Research Manager, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
“Many of us in the climate movement assume that people who are impacted by climate change are more worried about it, but that is not the case — including in frontline communities. Instead, people in frontline communities are more worried about harms like extreme heat and power outages, which are both made worse by climate change. This shows the importance of listening to frontline communities to understand their own concerns as well as communicating climate change in terms of the things that matter to them.
We also show that frontline communities are not a monolith: They are politically, demographically, and geographically diverse, and there are many frontline communities – especially communities of color – that are already taking action to reduce the harms they face from climate change. The wider climate movement can learn a lot from what those communities are doing.” – Jennifer Carman, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Key Takeaways:
- Frontline communities are hit “first and worst” by climate change impacts. Frontline communities are disproportionately lower-income and/or Black, Hispanic/Latino/a/e, or Indigenous. These groups are at greater risk of both experiencing climate impacts (such as extreme heat and floods) and difficulty recovering from those impacts. These climate risks are made worse by outsized exposure to pollution and resulting health crises, and neglected infrastructure – all of which have been linked to historical patterns of class and racial discrimination in the U.S.
- People in frontline and non-frontline communities are equally worried about global warming (both groups 65%). However, people in frontline communities are more worried about direct impacts such as extreme heat and power outages.
- People in frontline communities are less likely to hear about global warming from friends and family or to know about the scientific consensus that global warming is happening.
- Geographic analysis shows that the frontline communities most worried about global warming tend to be in the Southwest and Texas, while those that are least worried tend to be in Appalachia and the Ozarks. Our StoryMap explores these differences in more detail.
Co-authors on the paper and StoryMap included Jennifer Carman, Director of Survey Strategy, YPCCC, Emily Goddard, Data Analyst, YPCCC, Manuel Salgado, Federal Research Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Seth Rosenthal, Director of Research Operations, YPCCC, Jennifer Marlon, Executive Director of the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions and a Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of the Environment, Kristin Barendregt-Ludwig, Associate Director, Programs and Impact at the Yale Program on Social Enterprise, Innovations, and Impact, Marija Verner, Digital Education Manager and Research Specialist, YPCCC, John Kotcher, Director and Research Associate Professor, George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication, Edward Maibach,Founding Director (Emeritus) of Mason’s Center for Climate Change Communication, Anthony Leiserowitz, Founder and Director, YPCCC, and JoshAni-TomKat Professor of Climate Communication at the Yale School of the Environment.
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About WE ACT
WE ACT for Environmental Justice is a Northern Manhattan membership-based organization whose mission is to build healthy communities by ensuring that people of color and/or low-income residents participate meaningfully in the creation of sound and fair environmental health and protection policies and practices. WE ACT has offices in New York and Washington, D.C. Visit us at weact.org and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram.
About the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, directed by Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, conducts scientific research on public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior, and the underlying psychological, cultural, and political factors that influence them. They also engage the public in climate change science and solutions, in partnership with governments, media organizations, companies, and civil society, and with a daily, national radio program, Yale Climate Connections.
About the Center for Climate Change Communication
Founded in 2007, the mission of the George Mason Center for Climate Change Communication is to develop and apply social science insights to help society make informed decisions that will stabilize the earth’s life-sustaining climate and prevent further harm from climate change. To achieve this goal, we engage in three broad activities: we conduct unbiased communication research; we help government agencies, civic organizations, professional associations, and companies apply social science research to improve their public engagement initiatives; and we train students and professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve public engagement with climate change.