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Mapped: People Are Closer on Climate Than They Think

Published

June 23, 2026 8:42 am

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By

Ryan Bellefontaine

Design

  • Akhila Ayyalasomayajula

The following content is sponsored by Lloyd's Register Foundation

Mapped: People Are Closer on Climate Than They Think

Climate action often depends on whether people believe others share their concern. However, new survey data suggests many societies may underestimate public support for treating climate change as serious.

This graphic, in partnership with Lloyd’s Register Foundation, shows the gap between personal climate concern and perceived concern among most others using data from World Risk Poll Report 2026.

Climate Concern Is More Shared Than It Looks

The climate perception gap measures how much personal concern exceeds perceived concern among fellow citizens. In many countries, the difference is positive, meaning people care more than they think others do.

Here is a table that shows the climate perception gap by country.

Rank Country Climate Change is a Very Serious Threat to the Country in Next 20 Years (%) Most Other People in (Country) View Climate Change as a Very Serious Threat to the Country in Next 20 Years (%) Climate Perception Gap (percentage points)
1 Portugal 66 24 42
2 United States 51 10 41
3 Italy 58 20 38
4 United Kingdom 53 15 38
5 Uruguay 63 26 36
6 Spain 63 26 36
7 Argentina 61 25 35
8 France 49 14 35
9 Germany 63 29 34
10 Chile 69 36 34
11 Brazil 70 38 32
12 Cyprus 60 28 32
13 Australia 47 15 32
14 Japan 54 23 31
15 Ireland 53 23 30
16 Greece 62 33 29
17 Slovenia 47 18 28
18 Sweden 42 13 29
19 Hungary 58 30 28
20 Costa Rica 76 49 27
21 Mexico 65 38 27
22 Canada 46 19 27
23 Peru 64 39 25
24 Ukraine 46 21 25
25 Panama 72 48 24
26 Norway 35 11 23
27 Singapore 41 18 23
28 New Zealand 37 14 23
29 Belgium 36 13 23
30 Czech Republic 32 9 24
31 Bolivia 60 38 23
32 Malta 47 26 21
33 Jamaica 45 25 19
34 Mauritius 41 21 21
35 Bulgaria 52 33 19
36 Serbia 44 25 20
37 Iceland 23 4 19
38 Colombia 71 53 18
39 Georgia 67 49 17
40 Romania 58 40 18
41 Armenia 37 19 18
42 Finland 28 10 18
43 Ecuador 63 46 17
44 Honduras 62 45 17
45 Turkey 58 41 18
46 Venezuela 55 38 17
47 Paraguay 54 37 17
48 Switzerland 53 36 17
49 Netherlands 28 11 17
50 Albania 59 45 13
51 Russia 30 16 14
52 Ghana 57 44 14
53 South Africa 49 36 13
54 Taiwan 46 33 13
55 Slovakia 39 26 13
56 Israel 37 24 13
57 Latvia 33 20 13
58 Kenya 59 47 12
59 El Salvador 51 39 12
60 Bosnia Herzegovina 44 32 12
61 Moldova 42 30 12
62 Egypt 31 19 12
63 South Korea 64 53 12
64 Guatemala 55 44 11
65 Tajikistan 54 43 12
66 Luxembourg 52 41 11
67 Algeria 37 26 11
68 Lithuania 27 16 11
69 Guinea 62 52 10
70 Austria 61 51 10
71 Zambia 60 50 10
72 Gambia 52 42 11
73 Uganda 50 40 9
74 Cameroon 45 35 10
75 Mali 42 32 11
76 Estonia 17 7 10
77 Lesotho 58 49 9
78 Sierra Leone 56 47 9
79 Botswana 55 46 9
80 Liberia 53 44 9
81 Burkina Faso 50 41 9
82 Senegal 49 40 10
83 Kosovo 42 33 9
84 Gabon 40 31 8
85 Morocco 33 24 9
86 Tunisia 30 21 9
87 Montenegro 27 18 9
88 United Arab Emirates 27 18 9
89 Malawi 86 78 8
90 Philippines 61 53 8
91 North Macedonia 60 52 8
92 Nigeria 43 35 8
93 Jordan 30 22 8
94 Hong Kong 26 18 8
95 Palestine 25 17 8
96 Vietnam 72 65 6
97 Iraq 38 31 7
98 Indonesia 36 29 7
99 Bahrain 30 23 7
100 Kuwait 16 9 7
101 Zimbabwe 54 48 5
102 Pakistan 49 43 7
103 Azerbaijan 44 38 6
104 Kyrgyzstan 42 36 6
105 Kazakhstan 40 34 6
106 Poland 39 33 7
107 Malaysia 34 28 6
108 Croatia 25 19 7
109 Mozambique 52 47 5
110 Sri Lanka 29 24 4
111 Benin 57 53 3
112 Togo 53 49 4
113 Ivory Coast 48 44 4
114 Thailand 44 40 4
115 Dominican Republic 42 38 4
116 Mauritania 40 36 4
117 Congo Kinshasa 32 28 4
118 Saudi Arabia 11 7 4
119 Nepal 49 46 3
120 Tanzania 48 45 3
121 Denmark 27 24 3
122 Libya 25 22 4
123 Oman 16 13 3
124 Madagascar 63 61 2
125 Bangladesh 44 42 3
126 Niger 44 42 2
127 Congo Brazzaville 43 41 2
128 Mongolia 36 34 2
129 India 33 31 2
130 Laos 31 29 2
131 Cambodia 29 27 3
132 Chad 50 49 2
133 Uzbekistan 44 43 1
134 Namibia 32 31 1
135 Ethiopia 16 15 1
136 Somalia 28 29 0
137 Lebanon 39 41 -2
138 Myanmar 19 21 -2
139 Comoros 34 40 -6
140 China 23 29 -6

Portugal and the United States top the ranking, with gaps above 41 percentage points. Italy and the UK follow, both near 38 points.

Only a handful of countries yield the opposite result, including Somalia, Lebanon, Myanmar, Comoros, and China.

The Largest Gaps Are in Wealthier Countries

High-income countries account for 25 of the top 30 gaps. As a result, the biggest story is not apathy, but a misread of social concern.

Nearly half of people in high-income countries see climate change as very serious. Yet only 20% think most others in their country feel the same.

A Silver Lining for Climate Action

This misperception can matter because people often take cues from those around them. Therefore, correcting the gap could make climate concern feel more mainstream.

That makes the finding a potential silver lining. In high-income countries, people may be closer on climate than public debate suggests.

Meanwhile, climate risk continues to shape the global risk landscape, especially as extreme weather influences economies and policy.

Explore the 2026 World Risk Poll Report

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