Our Research

Mason 4C Research: Activating trusted voices for climate solutions 

Mason 4C is a ‘think-and-do-tank’ that conducts communication research on public understanding of climate change and activates those insights through effective communication programs and trusted voices that increase engagement with climate solutions. Founded in 2007—and based at the Mason Department of Communication in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences—we engage in four broad activities:  

  • Research on audiences, messages, and messengers to identify opportunities to build public understanding and political will for climate solutions;  
  • Building public engagement programs featuring trusted communicators (weathercasters and other journalists, health professionals, and conservatives);  
  • Helping government agencies, civic organizations, professional associations, and industry associations improve their climate communication; and  
  • Training students and working professionals to develop their climate communication skills. 

  • Formats

  • Programs

  • Themes

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Search Our Work

Found 321 Results

August 5, 2025

Heat, work, and worry: How is outdoor employment linked to concern about extreme heat?

June 2025 was the third-hottest June on record, continuing a trend of rising temperatures worldwide. Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S.—su...

July 7, 2025

Climate Change in the American Mind: Beliefs & Attitudes, Spring 2025

Report Summary This report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey – Climate Change in the American Mind – conducted jointly by the Yale Pro...

June 17, 2025

Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics and Policy, Spring 2025

Report Summary This report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey – Climate Change in the American Mind – conducted jointly by the Yale Program on Clim...

June 12, 2025

Understanding six “key truths” about climate change predicts policy support, discussion, and political advocacy

We are delighted to announce the publication of a new research article, “Understanding six ‘key truths’ about climate change predicts policy support, discussion, an...

June 10, 2025

Dr. John Kotcher Named Interim Director of Mason 4C

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. John Kotcher as the interim director of the Center for Climat...

May 15, 2025

A majority of registered voters want federal agencies to increase their efforts to protect people from the health harms of global warming

Many Americans understand that climate change harms health, and an increasing percentage believe climate-related health harms will become more common in their community over t...

May 6, 2025

Explore 16 Years of U.S. Climate Opinions with the CCAM Explorer

We are pleased to announce a new version of the Climate Change in the American Mind (CCAM) interactive dashboard – the CCAM Explorer. You can also download the full dataset,...

March 19, 2025

Global Warming’s Six Americas, Fall 2024

In 2009, we identified Global Warming’s Six Americas – the Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive – which represent distinct audiences within the ...

March 18, 2025

Advancing and Integrating Climate and Health Policies: Insights from Six Geographies

Executive summary Human health depends on planetary health, including a stable climate, and the necessary actions to stabilize our climate can have profound human health benefits. ...

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