Research BriefingPublished: 16 October 2026Nature Climate Change (2026) Cite this articleView saved researchClimate change will further increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Subjective experience and attribution of extreme weather events to climate change, rather than objective exposure alone, are associated with greater climate-relevant attention and choices. Political affiliation influences attention and behaviour irrespective of subjective attribution and objective exposure.This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institutionAccess options Access through your institutionAccess Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journalsGet Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription27,99 € / 30 dayscancel any timeLearn moreSubscribe to this journalReceive 12 print issues and online access269,00 € per yearonly 22,42 € per issueLearn moreBuy this articlePurchase on SpringerLinkInstant access to the full article PDF.39,95 €Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkoutFig. 1: Effects of political affiliation on attention to climate-relevant information and choices.SubjectsClimate-change impactsDecision makingReferencesHowe, P. D. Extreme weather experience on climate change opinion. Curr. Opin. Behav. Sci. 42, 127–131 (2021). A review article documenting mixed evidence on whether extreme weather experiences shape climate-related opinions and behaviour.Article Google Scholar Cologna, V. et al. Extreme weather event attribution predicts climate policy support. Nat. Clim. Change 15, 725–735 (2025). This paper shows that subjective attribution of extreme weather to climate change rather than objective exposure alone is associated with greater climate policy support.Article Google Scholar Sisco, M. R., Bosetti, V. & Weber, E. U. When do extreme weather events generate attention to climate change? Clim. Change 143, 227–241 (2017). This paper shows that extreme weather events can temporarily increase local attention to climate change.Article Google Scholar Boudet, H. et al. Event attribution and partisanship shape local discussion of climate change after extreme weather. Nat. Clim. Change 10, 69–76 (2020). This paper illustrates how partisanship and event attribution shape if extreme weather prompts local discussion about climate change.Article Google Scholar Berger, S. & Wyss, A. M. Measuring pro-environmental behavior using the Carbon Emission Task. J. Environ. Psychol. 75, 101613 (2021). This paper introduces the Carbon Emission Task, a consequential behavioural paradigm that measures pro-environmental choices by trading off financial rewards against real carbon dioxide emissions.Article Google Scholar Download referencesAdditional informationPublisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.This is a summary of: Wyss, A. M. et al. Political affiliation impacts climate attention and choice beyond extreme weather exposure. Nat. Clim. Change https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-026-02765-z (2026).Rights and permissionsReprints and permissionsAbout this article