Climate Change A Top Global Threat, But Not In America, According To Pew Study

Many around the world see climate change as a major threat, but Americans rank among the least concerned about the issue, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.

Only 40 percent of Americans surveyed said the warming planet is a "major threat," according to Pew. Similar results were seen in China, Jordan, Egypt and Pakistan, among several others of the 39 countries surveyed.

The top threats to the U.S. include North Korea's nuclear program (according to 59 percent of Americans), Islamic extremist groups (56 percent) and Iran's nuclear program (54 percent).

Yet more than half of all respondents in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa said climate change was a "major threat" to their individual countries. 54 percent of Canadians surveyed also listed climate change as a threat.

An April 2013 Gallup poll showed a majority of Americans acknowledge the reality of climate change. But public opinion can be fickle, with fewer Americans acknowledging climate change after a cold winter.

U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to unveil a set of actions designed to address climate change on Tuesday. "This is a serious challenge, but it's one uniquely suited to America's strengths," Obama said in a recent YouTube video.

Pew's results come from a survey of 37,653 individuals in 39 countries over the course of two months.