We know climate change is a thing, but some of us think it’s a good thing?

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked: President Trump’s nominee for Energy Secretary, Christopher Wright, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal talking about climate change thusly: “It’s probably almost as many positive changes as there are negative changes,” he told conservative media nonprofit PragerU last year. “Is it a crisis, is it the world’s greatest challenge, or a big threat to the next generation? No.” We wondered how many others shared this view.

What we found: A sizeable majority agree that climate change is happening. This is in line with our Global Trend about Climate Convergence. That said, the nuance is in the details. About three in five people think (correctly) that it’s mostly caused by human activity and another one in five think that it’s a natural pattern, which is contradicted strongly by science. Only 5% say climate change isn’t happening.

Beyond the fact that it’s happening, opinion gets interesting. About four in ten (38%, but half of Republicans) say that it will have positive effects as well as negative ones. Perhaps they’re thinking of economic opportunities the melting arctic opens up in terms of shipping lanes and access to precious minerals. Another 16% overall (23% of Republicans) think that there will be more positive than negative impacts. Republicans are twice as likely to agree with those statements as Democrats. Republicans are also slightly more likely (42% vs 35%) to think governments and corporations can help reduce the impacts but individuals make no difference.

Finally, fully a third of Americans say it’s too late to stop climate change. Younger Americans (both 18-34 and 35-54 splits) are more likely to agree, at 39%.

More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:

The housing market is crunched, and Americans are feeling it

Americans still have a complicated relationship with AI

America’s love for Valentine’s Day is unbending

Most Americans plan to watch the Super Bowl, but many are more excited for the puppy bowl

The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about