Variations in climate change belief systems across 110 geographic areas

Sanguk Lee (), Hong Tien Vu, Jagadish Thaker, Marija Verner, Matthew H. Goldberg, Jennifer Carman, Seth A. Rosenthal and Anthony Leiserowitz
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Sanguk Lee: Yale University
Hong Tien Vu: University of Colorado at Boulder
Jagadish Thaker: University of Queensland
Marija Verner: Yale University
Matthew H. Goldberg: Yale University
Jennifer Carman: Yale University
Seth A. Rosenthal: Yale University
Anthony Leiserowitz: Yale University

Nature Climate Change, 2025, vol. 15, issue 9, 947-953

Abstract: Abstract Climate beliefs shape engagement with climate action, yet research often overlooks their interconnections. This research frames climate beliefs as a belief system and examines two structural features: density (the strength of all connections) and inconsistency (conflicts between beliefs). Using Facebook survey data from 110 geographic areas (n = 99,074), we show that global north presents higher density networks, where climate beliefs are more tightly correlated, while many global south areas have positive but less interconnected beliefs. Inconsistency appears in geographic areas where opposition to reducing fossil fuel use conflicts with support for renewable energy and government prioritization of climate policies, such as in the Middle East. Information exposure is positively correlated with density and negatively with inconsistency. Gross domestic product per capita is positively associated with density and carbon resource dependence positively correlates with inconsistency. These findings offer communication strategies to enhance climate belief endurance while addressing conflicting beliefs that may undermine climate action.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41558-025-02410-1

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