Environmental Polling Roundup – April 28th, 2023

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls – including lots of new polling on H.R. 1, the factors and concerns that shape people’s climate attitudes, and the most persuasive language to talk about clean energy, climate change, and environmental issues. 

HEADLINES

Global Strategy Group – Voters overwhelmingly support the clean energy transition, including clean energy projects in their own communities; key messaging and language findings include the resonance of “clean energy jobs,” connecting H.R. 1 to Big Oil CEOs, and making sure that “no community is left behind” (Release, Deck)

Data for Progress – Voters see clean energy investments as the most important actions against climate change; in terms of climate impacts, voters are most worried about extreme weather, food shortages, and the cost of living (Article, Topline)

Climate Power + Data for Progress – Voters don’t want Republicans in Congress to roll back clean energy policies, and are particularly angered by rollbacks that would make home energy-efficiency investments more expensive (Memo, Topline)

AP + NORC – Americans say that extreme weather and scientists have the greatest influence on their climate attitudes; most say they’ve been affected by extreme weather in recent years (Release, Topline)

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• We should be putting extreme weather front and center when explaining the impacts of climate change. The AP and NORC find that people say extreme weather has more influence on their climate views than any other factor, and Data for Progress finds that people worry about the increased intensity of extreme weather events more than any other specific climate impact. Additionally, Global Strategy Group finds that voters are more likely to agree that climate change is having a serious impact on the country when they are reminded of recent extreme weather events.
• Our messaging against bad energy policy like H.R. 1 is more compelling when we connect it to Big Oil CEOs. Out of several possible arguments against H.R. 1, Global Strategy Group finds that this argument connecting the bill to Big Oil CEOs is the most persuasive and believable: “The plan gives Big Oil CEOs a free pass to make even bigger profits by pumping more toxic pollution into our air and water.”
• We need to move away from the term “natural gas,” as “methane gas” and “fracked gas” are more evocative of its dangers. Global Strategy Group’s new poll is the latest to find that the public reacts positively to the term “natural gas,” but not to alternative terms for it that don’t use the word “natural.” For example, while more voters say that they want to increase than decrease the use of “natural gas” as a fuel source, voters on net say they want to decrease the use of “methane gas.” And out of several possible terms for gas as a fuel source, voters say that they find “fracked gas” to be the least appealing term.

GOOD DATA POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT

• [Transmission / Siting] 79% of voters support building new power lines in their community that transmit electricity generated by clean energy [Global Strategy Group]
• [Clean Energy / Siting] 78% of voters support building new solar panel farms in their community [Global Strategy Group]
• [Environment + Economy] 77% of voters agree with this statement: “We don’t have to choose between building our economy and protecting our environment. We can do both.” [Global Strategy Group]
• [Clean Energy / Siting] 73% of voters support building new wind turbines in their community [Global Strategy Group]
• [Climate Change] 72% of Americans recognize that climate change is happening, compared to just 12% who deny it [AP + NORC]
• [Environmental Justice] 72% of voters agree with the statement that “as we move to clean energy, we need to make sure that no community is left behind, including the communities of color that have been harmed the most by pollution from fossil fuels.” [Global Strategy Group]
• [H.R. 1] 71% of voters say they would be upset if Republicans in Congress make it more expensive for American families to make their homes energy-efficient [Climate Power + Data for Progress]
• [Climate Action] 67% of voters agree that the U.S. government should take strong action to combat climate change [Global Strategy Group]
• [Issue Priority] More Americans say that climate/environment is the number one “most important issue” for them than any other issue besides inflation/prices, health care, and the economy/jobs [The Economist + YouGov]