Floods, Trust, and Climate Change: What Americans Think

Americans have seen a lot of floods lately. In the past five years, about 20% of people in the U. S. have dealt with major flooding. Most of these folks think climate change had something to do with it. Before the recent floods in Texas, people were pretty confident in the National Weather Service. Around 40% felt "very" or "extremely" sure about the info they got from the weather service or local reports. But when it comes to FEMA, trust is lower. Only about 20% felt "very" or "extremely" confident in them. Most Americans believe the government should play a big part in tracking weather and warning people. About 70% think the government should have a "major role" in this. But when it comes to fighting climate change to prevent bad weather, opinions differ. Only 56% think the government should step in here. Politics play a role in these views. Around 80% of Democrats want the government to fight climate change, but only about 30% of Republicans agree. This shows a big divide in how people see the government's role in climate change. After the Texas floods, questions arose about who was responsible for the lack of warnings. This could change how people feel about the National Weather Service and other agencies. It's unclear if this disaster will shift opinions on climate change and the government's role in it.