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Despite a political climate that appears increasingly hostile to international climate cooperation under Donald Trump’s leadership, new research reveals that most Americans strongly support global climate policies, including carbon pricing and redistributive measures that would aid poorer nations.
Public Support Persists, Even in Trump’s America
An international survey conducted by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in 2021, and reinforced by subsequent polling in 2023, found that around 70% of Americans support global climate cooperation. This holds even after the United States, under Trump, formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement in January 2025 and halted billions of dollars in climate finance to developing nations.
A more recent, in-depth study published in Nature Human Behaviour confirms that this support is both deep and resilient. Researchers surveyed over 8,000 people across Europe and the United States. They found that 70% of Americans still support a global carbon pricing scheme that would redistribute funds to countries in the Global South, even if it comes with personal financial costs.
The Paris Pullout vs. Public Will
Trump’s climate agenda stands in direct contrast to what most Americans appear to want. Since returning to the office, Trump has not only withdrawn the United States from the Paris climate pact but also rolled back key domestic climate regulations, including the Clean Power Plan and stricter vehicle emission standards. His administration has consistently pushed policies that weaken environmental protections, arguing that global climate agreements unfairly burden the U.S. economy.
The Nature study’s findings go beyond surface-level opinions. Researchers employed advanced methods, including list experiments and petition framing, to ensure respondents weren’t simply giving socially desirable answers. Even when participants were told their names would be sent to political leaders as part of a pro-climate petition, more than half of the U.S. respondents signed up.
Interestingly, Americans also backed global wealth redistribution via climate policy. In the surveys, most participants favoured a system where funds raised through carbon pricing would partly flow to less wealthy countries, which are often the most vulnerable to climate impacts. Support for taxing millionaires and redistributing those funds internationally was also high, indicating an appetite for policies that link climate action with economic fairness.
The Public–Policy Mismatch
If Americans support bold climate action, why is national policy moving in the opposite direction? This disconnect, highlighted both in the PIK-Potsdam surveys and the Nature study, suggests that political decisions may not be fully aligned with voter sentiment. It highlights the influence of powerful interest groups, partisan divisions, and misperceptions among policymakers regarding what their constituents want.
The research also suggests that American voters may be more receptive to ambitious, cooperative climate policies than their leaders anticipate. Some experiments have found that endorsing international climate action can even boost electoral support for candidates in countries like France. However, whether this would translate in the U.S. remains an open question.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-025-02175-9
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