Economic inequality is linked to citizens viewing individuals as more responsible for climate change mitigation than governments

As global support for climate action grows, the debate has shifted to who bears primary responsibility for climate change mitigation: individuals or systemic actors like governments. The present study (N = 76,288; 72 countries) examined whether national economic inequality, measured by the World Bank Gini index, is associated with citizens' views on who is responsible for climate change mitigation. Using cross-national survey data collected in early 2022, multilevel analyses showed that citizens living in nations with greater (vs. lower) levels of economic inequality were more likely to attribute responsibility for climate change mitigation to individual people rather than to governments (and businesses). This association remained after controlling for GDP per capita, individuals' belief in and perceived importance of climate change, and demographic factors. One possible explanation for these findings is that economic inequality may erode public trust, leading individuals to lose faith in the ability of governments and other institutions to implement effective systemic change. The findings suggest that citizens in more unequal societies may be less likely to expect or demand ambitious government-led climate policies, potentially making systemic action harder to achieve. Addressing inequality therefore may help shift public views toward recognising government responsibility for mitigating climate change.