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This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls – including new polling on recent hurricanes and the government’s disaster response, new polling on renewable energy and grid expansion, and new state polls about energy issues in Pennsylvania, California, and Texas.
We are thrilled to share this week’s newsletter with Philly Thrive, one of our 2024 Climate Justice Micrograntees. Philly Thrive is based in the Grays Ferry neighborhood in Philadelphia and has worked for nearly a decade to correct environmental injustices in South Philly, primarily related to the PES oil refinery. In 2020, they successfully closed it down. Read on for reflections from Philly Thrive’s organizers on and check out their video series chronicling lessons learned through their Right to Breathe Campaign.
Voters in California and Texas both overwhelmingly agree that their states should be doing more to encourage solar power; voters see clear benefits of solar power for grid reliability, the economy, and costs. In California: Solar power – 85% agree that their utility should be using more; Wind power – 78%; Offshore wind power – 72%; Natural gas power – 57%; Nuclear power – 52%. In Texas: Solar power – 73% agree that their utility should be using more; Wind power – 69%; Natural gas power – 67%; Nuclear power – 50%; Coal power – 40%. Accordingly, large majorities in both California (85%) and Texas (71%) agree that their state’s policymakers should be doing more to encourage the use of solar power. In both states, there is a potent argument that solar can help to make an outdated electric grid more resilient and reliable.
Voters widely support investments in renewable energy and grid expansion. Most support solar farms and transmission projects in their own communities. 65% of voters say that the U.S. should invest more in renewable energy like solar and wind. By a 62%-28% margin, voters support a federal renewable electricity standard that would require the U.S. to generate 70% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2034, including four in five Democrats (83%), the majority of independents (57%), and four in ten Republicans (42%). 77% of voters say that it’s important to expand the transmission grid in the U.S. 55% of voters support a transmission project being built in their community, with just 29% opposed.