Climate change seen as mounting health threat
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Two-thirds of Americans see climate change as a threat to human health, and most are bracing for a summer of extreme weather they expect will be as bad as or worse than last year, according to the latest Axios/Ipsos American Health Index.
The big picture: There's a perception that last year's record heat, wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events created a new baseline.
By the numbers: 5% of Americans identified climate change as today's top threat to public health, ranking ahead of COVID-19 and alcohol abuse — but far behind perennial fears like the opioid crisis (24%), obesity (18%) and mental health (16%).
- 36% expect this summer's extreme weather to be similar to last year's, while about the same proportion said they think it will be worse.
Between the lines: Those expectations are shaded by partisanship and other factors.
- Democrats (51%) were far more likely than Republicans (21%) to say they expect this summer to be worse.
- Hispanics and people living in the West were also likelier to see things getting worse.
