Threat of Drought Most Concerning across All Regions
Drought tops the list of climate change concerns. We read respondents a list of four potential effects of global warming, and asked which one concerns them the most: droughts or water shortages; severe weather, such as floods or intense storms; long periods of unusually hot weather; or rising sea levels. In 31 nations, drought is a top worry. Fully half of Americans name drought as their chief climate change concern, and this is especially true in drought-plagued Western states compared with other regions of the country.
Threat of Drought Most Concerning across All Regions  | Regional medians of most concerning effects of global climate change  | DROUGHTS OR WATER  | SEVERE WEATHER, LIKE  | LONG PERIODS of  | RISING SEA  | SHORTAGES  | FLOODS OR intense  | UNUSUALLY HOT  | LEVELS  | STORMS  | WEATHER  | 12%  | Latin America  | 21%  | 5%  | 59%  | 16  | Africa  | 59  | 18  | 3  | 16  | U.S.  | 50  | 11  | 13  | Asta/Pacific  | 41  | 19  | Middle East  | 24  | 38  | Europe  | 35  | 27  | 15  | Global  | 44  | 25  | 14  | Note: Russia fand Ukraine not included in Europe median.  | Source: Spring 2015 Global Attitudes survey. Q43,  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 