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According to recent polling from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, more Americans are believing that they have personally experienced the impact of climate change due to recent extreme weather events. This includes a summer with dangerous heat that affected a significant portion of the United States. The survey found that 87% of Americans claim to have experienced at least one extreme weather event, such as drought, extreme heat, severe storms, wildfires, or flooding, within the past 5 years. This is an increase from 79% just a few months ago in April. Additionally, approximately three-quarters of those who experienced extreme weather believe that climate change is at least partially responsible. A total of 64% of U.S. adults stated that they have experienced extreme weather and believe that it was caused, at least in part, by climate change. This is a rise from 54% in April. About 65% of respondents also think that climate change will have or has already had a major impact during their lifetime.

The unusually high temperatures this summer may have played a major role in shaping people’s beliefs. Approximately 74% of Americans said they had been affected by extremely hot weather or heatwaves in the past 5 years, compared to 55% in April. Among those affected, 92% reported experiencing extreme heat in the past few months. This summer was recorded as the hottest ever in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the World Meteorological Organization and the European climate service Copernicus. Additionally, millions of Americans were impacted by the worst wildfire season in Canada’s history, which resulted in smoke spreading to parts of the U.S. About 60% of U.S. adults stated that they were significantly (15%) or slightly (48%) affected by haze or smoke from the wildfires in recent months.

Extreme weather events such as heatwaves, storms, flooding, and wildfires have also affected tens of millions of people worldwide this year. Scientists believe that climate change has contributed to making these events more frequent and intense.

Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, noted that researchers have been tracking Americans’ attitudes towards climate change for 15 years. However, it wasn’t until 2016 that they observed a link between people’s experience with extreme weather and their beliefs about climate change. Leiserowitz believes that media coverage of climate change has improved and that people are now interpreting information in a more scientific way than they did in the past.

The difference in beliefs between Democrats and Republicans was significant, with 93% of Democrats who experienced extreme weather attributing it to climate change, compared to only 48% of Republicans. Among Democrats surveyed, 90% stated that climate change is happening, while only 49% of Republicans agreed. While 74% of Americans overall believe that climate change is happening, there has been no significant change since April.

The article highlights some personal experiences of individuals impacted by extreme weather events. For example, Kathleen Maxwell from Phoenix, who had lived there for over 20 years, expressed fear due to a record-breaking streak of 31 consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Maxwell attributes her concerns to climate change. However, not everyone shares this belief. Seventy-six-year-old Bruce Alvord from Hagerstown, Maryland, does not believe in human-caused climate change, reasoning that fluctuations in the climate have historically occurred and that powerful politicians and lobbyists influence the perception of climate change.

It is worth noting that while scientific evidence may not change the minds of those who are skeptical of climate change, individuals may be more likely to accept its existence if they trust the people or institutions spreading the information.

Overall, the article emphasizes the growing belief among Americans that they have personally experienced the effects of climate change through extreme weather events. The poll provides insights into the public’s perception of climate change and highlights the differences in beliefs between Democrats and Republicans.