Climate change concerns highest in Northeast, Western US: poll

Concern over climate change is highest in the Northeastern and Western U.S., according to new data released Monday.

Sixty-seven percent of Americans surveyed by Gallup living in the Northeast and West believe climate change is now occurring, compared to 60 percent in the Midwest and 53 percent in the South.

People in the first two regions were similarly more likely to believe the seriousness of global warming is correct or underestimated.

{mosads}Gallup says the differences largely reflect political leanings of each region, with Democrats being more likely to express concern about climate change than Republicans.

The survey asked about six different environmental issues, including air and water pollution, and climate change was the one with the most notable regional differences in concern.

Gallup’s data is based on an aggregation of yearly surveys between 2017 and 2019.