Environmental Polling Roundup – August 4th, 2023

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls – including on extreme weather, climate effects on communities, higher temperatures, clean energy policy effects, and EPA vehicle rules.

See this webpage for links to the following resources.

HEADLINES

Navigator – More voters report unusual weather this summer than last summer, especially extreme heat; those affected overwhelmingly blame it on climate change [Release, Deck]

NPR + PBS NewsHour + Marist – Majorities of Americans say that climate change is having a serious impact right now, is affecting their community, and should be prioritized even at the risk of slowing economic growth [Release, Crosstabs]

CBS News + YouGov – Nearly two in three Americans say that their area has been experiencing unusually high temperatures, but Republicans are less likely to acknowledge extreme heat than Democrats [Article, including embedded topline]

The Economist + YouGov – The share of Americans who say that they’ve personally felt the effects of climate change is trending up this summer [Topline, Crosstabs]

Climate Power + Data for Progress – Voters widely agree that clean energy investment will lead to more jobs and economic growth, and overwhelmingly support measures to save consumers money with clean energy [Memo, Crosstabs]

Data for Progress – Most voters approve of the EPA’s proposed new vehicle emissions standards when they learn about them; charging concerns continue to rank as high as costs as a barrier to EV interest [Article, Crosstabs]

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Americans generally recognize that this summer has been unusually warm, but weather denialism is a real problem on the right. Several polls this week find that Americans widely report unusual weather in their local areas –  especially extreme heat – and are concerned about the impacts of climate change on their local communities. However, self-identified Republicans are much less likely than other Americans to say that they’re experiencing unusual temperatures or that they’re concerned about extreme weather. This is part of a deliberate strategy by conservative media outlets: if you search for news about “heat waves” on the Fox News website right now, for example, the top results are opinion pieces arguing that this summer’s heat waves are normal and natural. Advocates need to combat this type of disinformation directly by making a persuasive case to conservative audiences that the weather is in fact growing more extreme. It will be much harder to convince the public about the connection between climate change and extreme weather if we let the weather itself become a partisan issue.
   
• Advocates should leverage both the good will toward clean energy companies and antipathy toward oil and gas companies in our messaging. Navigator finds that voters have overwhelmingly positive impressions of clean energy companies, while the public has mixed-to-negative attitudes about oil and gas companies. Navigator’s polling also shows how we can leverage these attitudes in our communications. They find that voters respond more positively to a proposed shift toward clean energy than a shift away from fossil fuels, and that voters grow more concerned about proposed clean energy rollbacks in Congress when they’re told that the rollbacks are part of a plan that would give more tax breaks to big oil companies that are making record profits.

GOOD DATA POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT

• [Clean Energy + Climate Action] 79% of voters support the United States using more clean energy like wind and solar so we can reduce the pollution that causes climate change [Navigator]
   
• [Clean Energy + Fossil Fuel Companies] Voters have overwhelmingly positive opinions of clean energy companies (72% favorable / 16% unfavorable), while oil and gas companies are underwater (42% favorable / 48% unfavorable) [Navigator]
   
• [Clean Energy + Costs] 69% of voters agree that “it is important to increase our use of clean energy sources to reduce electric bills and energy costs for American families” [Climate Power + Data for Progress]
   
• [Clean Energy + Economy] 68% of voters agree that “investing in training our future clean energy workforce will benefit our climate while strengthening our economy” [Climate Power + Data for Progress]
   
• [Clean Energy + Economy] 65% of voters agree that “investing in clean energy will support thousands of Americans and their families with good-paying jobs” [Climate Power + Data for Progress]
   
• [Climate Change] 67% of voters say that climate change is a serious problem for Americans today [Navigator]
   
• [Climate Change] 62% of Americans recognize that climate change is currently affecting their local community [NPR + PBS Newshour + Marist]
   
• [Extreme Weather] 65% of Americans recognize that their area has experienced unusually high temperatures in recent weeks [CBS News + YouGov]
   
• [Issue Priority] More Americans name climate change and the environment as the single “most important issue” to them than any other issue aside from inflation/prices, health care, and the economy/jobs [The Economist + YouGov]