New Delhi – An overwhelming majority of Indians believe that global warming is driving the country’s increasingly frequent severe weather events, according to a detailed new report published by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. The study, released on November 19, 2025, underscores a high level of public awareness and risk perception regarding the climate crisis across the nation.
The research used advanced modeling techniques to create detailed climate opinion maps, revealing that large majorities of the population attribute major weather phenomena to climate change:
• Severe Heat Waves 78% of Indians believe global warming is affecting these events.
• Droughts and Water Shortages 77% link these to global warming.
• Severe Cyclones 73% see a link with global warming.
• Severe Floods 70% attribute these events to global warming.
Perception Outpaces Experience
A key finding of the report is that the public’s attribution of extreme weather often exceeds their personal experience of these events in the past year.
For instance, in Tamil Nadu, 74% of adults believe global warming affects severe storms, yet only 21%reported personally experiencing one recently. Similarly, in Rajasthan, 70% think global warming is affecting severe floods, while just 28% reported being personally affected.
Odisha: A State on the Front Line
The data highlights states like Odisha as being particularly vulnerable to compound climate threats. The state was hit by Cyclone Dana in October 2024 and experiences drought conditions regularly, with over two-thirds of the population reporting personal experience with droughts and water shortages.
Dr. Jennifer Marlon, the lead researcher for the opinion maps, emphasized the implications for public policy. She stated that as India works to adapt to extreme weather, communicators must continue to explain the “cause-and-effect relationship between burning fossil fuels and dangerous weather.”
The study’s data is intended to help decision-makers better understand these public risk-perceptions, enabling them to design climate adaptation, communication, and sustainable development policies that are effectively tailored to local needs and realities across India.