Three-quarters of Americans are concerned about human impact on the oceans

Jamie BallardData Journalist
June 08, 2021, 12:45 PM GMT+0

June 8 marks World Oceans Day, an annual event created by the United Nations. It aims to “inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans,” according to the UN website.

A YouGov poll of more than 23,000 US adults finds that three-quarters (75%) of Americans are concerned about the impact that human activity is having on the oceans, with 42% of these saying they are “very concerned.”

Fewer say they are “not very concerned” (11%) or “not concerned at all” (7%) about the impact that human activity is having on the oceans.

Additional YouGov data suggests that Americans are also more broadly concerned about global warming and the impact humans have on the environment. Recent data from The Economist and YouGov finds that 71% of Americans say that they believe climate change is an important issue, with 43% saying this is a “very important” issue. Democrats (91%) are more likely than Independents (65%) and Republicans (49%) to say that this issue is important to them.

Related: Just one in five Americans believe cryptocurrency has a negative impact on the environment

Methodology: 23,010 US adults 18+ were surveyed between June 4 - 7, 2021. The responding sample is weighted to be representative of the US population.

Image: Getty