With COP26 underway, American adults are concerned about the impact of climate change on their lives— but increasingly optimistic about combating global warming.

Examining recent polling, FGH’s Research and Insights team found:

• Almost three quarters (71%) of Americans are very or somewhat concerned about the impact of disasters on their own communities. 

• 62% of Democrats and 43% of Republicans are confident the U.S. will be successful in reducing its carbon emissions and slowing the impacts of climate change within the next decade. 

• Nearly three quarters (72%) of climate reporters believe the upcoming COP26 talks in Glasgow will help reach the Paris Climate agreement goals.

• Almost 60% of Americans believe climate change is accelerating. 

• A majority of Americans (55%) support Congress passing a bill to increase clean energy for the country and decrease gas and coal, while 16% oppose the action. 

• Two-thirds (65%) of U.S. adults believe global warming is happening. However, only 55% of them believe it is caused by humans, while 45% think it is caused by natural changes in the environment or other causes. 

• More than half (54%) of Republicans agree if a product is harmful for the environment, the company should stop selling it. 

• Nearly two in three Republicans (63%) think oil and gas companies are at least somewhat responsible for climate change, but 90% of them still have neutral or positive feelings towards America’s two largest fossil fuel companies, Shell and Exxon. 

• Of those who are very concerned about natural disasters, Black Americans (48%) and Hispanic Americans (40%) are more concerned than White Americans (32%).