There is more public support than ever before for taking big steps to avoid a climate disaster.

Judge as of August 2022. The claim is that public support for strong action to avoid climate disaster was at its highest ever recorded level at that time. True: major long-running tracking surveys available by mid-2022 show support for strong climate action, or concern about climate change, at or near record highs. These include the Yale/George Mason Climate Change in the American Mind series, Gallup, Pew and multinational surveys such as Ipsos or UNDP's People's Climate Vote. Gates's context was mainly the US, but global series also count. Mostly true: most of these series show record or near-record levels, but one or two key series show an earlier peak that was slightly higher. Mixed: the main series disagree, with roughly half at record highs and half below earlier peaks. Mostly false: support was high, but most series show it at or below earlier peaks (e.g. flat since 2019–2020), so 'more than ever before' overstates a real high level. False: the main series show support clearly falling from earlier highs by 2022.

Set before the research began.

1. E1 WINTER 2022 Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion (National Surveys on Energy and the Environment)

   “The results from the Winter 2022 NSEE indicate that 76% of adult Americans believe there is solid evidence that temperatures on the planet have risen over the last four decades. This 76% mark is the highest level of acceptance recorded since the inception of the NSEE in 2008.”

2. E2 Global surveys show people’s growing concern about climate change Clean Energy Wire · 9 November 2023

   “In 2014, 54 percent (average of all surveyed countries) were of this opinion. The average jumped to 62 percent in 2017 and to 71 percent in 2022, showcasing the rapid change in people’s perceptions.”

3. E3 Insight of the Week: Public Concern about Climate Change Reaches an All-time High GlobeScan · 22 September 2022

   “This marks the highest level recorded since tracking began in 2003 and follows a steady increase since 2014.”

4. E4 WINTER 2022 Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion (National Surveys on Energy and the Environment)

   “When asked if they agree that, “Instead of trying to stop global warming from occurring we should focus on adapting to a warmer climate,” 61% of Americans disagreed with this option in 2022. This result is very similar to the 2011 findings, when 66% of Americans disagreed with this proposition.”

The Muhlenberg NSEE's Winter 2022 wave found 76% acceptance of warming, the highest since the series began in 2008 (E1). A global survey average rose to 71% in 2022 (E2), and GlobeScan reported concern at its highest level since tracking began in 2003 (E3). These measure belief and concern more than support for action, which the criteria allow. One action-related item cuts the other way: the share of Americans rejecting adaptation over mitigation was 61% in 2022, below 66% in 2011 (E4). With most series at record highs and one slightly below an earlier peak, the claim is mostly true.