How causal connectedness, polarization, and analytic thinking shape climate justice support

Climate change is a global threat that exacerbates inequalities between countries. Nations in the global South, despite contributing least to greenhouse gas emissions, are disproportionately exposed to climate impacts, whereas countries in the global North are both historically responsible and better positioned to adapt. Addressing this asymmetry requires public support for climate justice policies in wealthy countries. Using a sample of 400 US participants, we examine psychological factors shaping support for climate justice. We show that support is associated with perceived causal connectedness—the recognition of climate change cascading societal consequences. Experimental exposure to a short text highlighting links between climate change and issues such as conflict and migration increased support for climate justice. Support was also higher among Democrats than Republicans and positively related to analytic thinking. These findings highlight the role of causal framing in climate communication and suggest pathways for increasing public endorsement of climate justice policies.