We Are the 89%: Global Majority Ready for Climate Action

Amid the daily drumbeat of the Climate Crisis—raging wildfires and storms, surging insurance premiums, and rising seas—many people feel powerless, isolated, or unsure whether others share their concerns. But the truth is far more hopeful—and far more powerful.

A landmark 2024 study in Nature Climate Change, reveals an overwhelming 89% of adults worldwide want their governments to do more to combat global warming. Even in the laggard U.S., 74% of adults agree. The willingness to act isn't just talk: 69% globally—and nearly half of Americans—say they would personally contribute 1% of their income to help fight climate change. 

But here is the paradox: most people think they are in the minority. In the U.S., for example, while 49% are ready to contribute financially, the average American believes only 33% of people would. This “spiral of silence”—a term to describe how people withhold their views when they believe they are alone—prevents us from harnessing the full force of this global consensus.

This misperception is even more heartbreaking given where support is strongest. The highest willingness to sacrifice income is found in poorer nations—where every dollar counts more, and where climate impacts often hit hardest.

So why the disconnect in America? As The Guardian reports, misinformation, political polarization, and the deep pocket influence of the fossil fuel industry have shaped public perception. Many Americans still see climate change as a distant threat, believing they are personally resilient or immune. That is steadily changing.

In a 2025 Gallup Poll, only 48% of Americans said global warming posed a serious threat to their way of life—a new high, but still far below global levels of concern. 

There are other signs of change: More Americans are affected directly by global warming every day.  Support for household energy-efficiency incentives and investments in carbon capture remains strong across the political spectrum. And crucially, climate education works. Research in the Review of Economics and Statistics finds that when Americans are informed of the true levels of climate concern in their vicinity, they become significantly more motivated to act.

The big media sources are starting to respond. The Guardian and a growing coalition of newspapers have launched the 89 Percent Project—a global effort to amplify the voices of the silent majority and empower people to speak up, demand action, and recognize their strength in numbers. Unfortunately, many climate skeptics also mistrust legacy media. 

So what do we do? Recognize that you are not alone and that you are part of a vast, global majority. And if we break the silence—if we talk to our family, friends, and neighbors knowing many share our concerns, vote our values, and demand policy change—we can turn shared concern into transformative action. Make your voice heard. The future is still in our hands.