Horowitz: Americans Want More Action on Climate Change

Horowitz: Americans Want More Action on Climate Change

Substantial majorities of Americans want more action by the federal government on climate change and believe that we should prioritize renewable energy over fossil fuel fuels, according to a recent national survey by the Pew Research Center. 

More specifically,  more than 2-out-of-3 American adults believe that the federal government is “doing too little on climate change” and more than 3-in-4 “agree that the more important energy priority should be developing alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power and hydrogen technology rather than increasing U.S. production of fossil fuels.”

While the usual partisan divisions on climate change are still very much present with 90% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents wanting more action as opposed to less than 40% of Republicans, there is an encouraging uptick of support for action among younger Republicans. “Among younger Republicans – adults in the Millennial generation and Generation Z, ages 18 to 38 in 2019 – 52% think the government is doing too little on climate.”

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There is even stronger support among younger Republicans for prioritizing renewable non-carbon producing energy over fossil fuels. Seventy-eight percent of Republicans ages 18 to 38 support this position.

Over-all, more than 6-in-10 American adults say that climate change is having at least some impact on their local community. Nearly 8-in-10 say at least some climate change is caused by human activity with more than half of conservative Republicans now sharing this position.

Taken together, these poll results, which are in line with other recent surveys, show growing support in the American public for more action on climate change.  One cautionary note is that climate change is only a top tier issue for Democratic primary voters and this development is relatively recent,while it has yet to emerge as a high priority across the electorate.  But the combination of scientific report after report warning that our window for avoiding the worst consequences is closing, the continued years of record hot weather, and more intense storms and wildfires are fueling expanded support for more federal action at the precise time the Trump  Administration is moving in the opposite direction.

Most encouraging for those of us who believe American leadership at home and abroad are essential to effectively taking on the climate challenge is the growing support among younger Republicans.  Both on the policy level by advancing market-based solutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and on the political level, through sustained outreach to younger Republicans through trusted influencers such as pro-environment Evangelical ministers and Republican local elected officials who are advancing renewable energy in their own communities, communicating with this sub-set of the electorate needs to be among the highest priorities of climate change activists.

For gaining and maintaining the adoption of the policies required to meet the climate change challenge, a bi-partisan coalition for action must be built. That is a key part of the hard work ahead.

 

Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits, businesses, and elected officials and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island.