Stark Differences in Climate Change Attitudes: 10% Wealthiest from Developed Countries are Responsible for Half of the World’s Carbon Emissions

A recent analysis has shed light on the stark differences in climate change attitudes and concerns across the globe, revealing that the wealthiest 10% of people, primarily from developed countries, are responsible for half of the world’s carbon emissions. These individuals, who earn over $40,000 annually, contribute up to 40 times more emissions than the poorest 10%, a disparity that underscores significant global inequities.

The analysis also highlighted that developing countries, despite contributing just 0.4% of global consumption-based carbon emissions, bear the brunt of climate-related fatalities. A staggering 91% of all deaths related to extreme weather occur in these low-income nations. This discrepancy may help explain why people in affluent countries, who are more familiar with climate change, tend to be less concerned about its impacts.

The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) and George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication have previously categorized Americans into six groups based on their climate change beliefs. These range from the “Alarmed,” who are deeply concerned and supportive of climate policies, to the “Dismissive,” who reject the notion of climate change and often believe in conspiracy theories.

Building on this framework, YPCCC extended its analysis globally, surveying 139,136 people in collaboration with Data for Good at Meta and Rare’s Center for Behavior and the Environment. The survey revealed significant gender differences in climate change awareness and attitudes, particularly when correlated with per-capita income and carbon emissions. In high-income, high-emission countries, 94% of women and 92% of men reported being at least somewhat aware of climate change. In contrast, awareness was lower in less affluent, low-emission countries, with 84% of women and 82% of men reporting familiarity with the issue.

Despite lower overall awareness, people in poorer nations showed greater concern about climate change. In these regions, 45% of women and 44% of men fell into the “Alarmed” category, compared to just 36% of women and 30% of men in wealthier, more polluting countries. Women in high-income nations were also less likely to be skeptical about climate change, with only 11% being Doubtful or Dismissive, compared to 20% of men.

The survey also found that more men in poorer, low-emission areas (40%) believed humans are the primary cause of global warming than women (32%). However, this trend reversed in affluent countries, where 46% of women and 45% of men held this belief.

Furthermore, there was strong support for prioritizing climate change on government agendas, particularly in low-income countries. In these nations, 69% of women and 68% of men believed climate change should be a top government priority. In contrast, only 60% of men in developed countries shared this view, although 69% of women in these regions agreed.

The survey’s findings are particularly concerning given that women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change. The United Nations estimates that 80% of those displaced by extreme weather events are women, who are also more likely to experience poverty and have less socioeconomic power, making disaster recovery more challenging.

Country-specific data revealed that Mexicans were the most concerned about climate change among the top 15 emitters, with 84% falling into the “Alarmed” or “Concerned” categories. South Korea (83%), Brazil and Vietnam (76% each), and India (74%) followed. On the other end, the United States had the highest share of climate deniers (25%), followed closely by Australia (23%) and Germany (21%).

Overall, respondents from low per-capita emissions and income areas showed more concern about climate change, with 45% categorized as “Alarmed,” compared to 33% in richer, high-polluting nations. In contrast, people in wealthier countries were nearly twice as likely to be Doubtful or Dismissive (15%) compared to those in poorer nations (8%).

Globally, Puerto Rico (70%), El Salvador (67%), Costa Rica (65%), Chile (64%), and Panama (64%) had the highest percentages of Alarmed populations. Meanwhile, the Netherlands (30%), Norway (27%), and Libya (25%) had the highest percentages of climate deniers, surpassing even the United States.

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