This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including new national polling on Americans’ climate attitudes, climate change and energy policy as factors in the presidential race, and extreme weather + new statewide polling in Georgia and North Carolina. 

See this webpage for links to all the following resources.

HEADLINES

AP-NORC + EPIC – Most Americans say that climate change will be an important factor in their vote for president, as majorities say that it’s “very important” for the next president to expand U.S. clean energy and enforce clean air and water rules; most support solar and wind energy projects in their own communities [Release, Charts, Topline]

Axios + Ipsos – Americans view climate change as a health issue and expect this summer’s weather to be as extreme or worse than last summer’s [Article, Release, Topline]

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Americans understand that climate change is a public health issue. Polls have long shown that health-focused messaging is one of the most persuasive ways to talk about climate action, as Americans are deeply concerned about the health effects of polluted air and water. In recent years, extreme heat has emerged as another highly salient way to demonstrate how climate pollution harms the health and well-being of everyday Americans. Axios and Ipsos find that the majority of Americans now agree that climate change is a “threat to human health,” and most also say that they’re concerned about extreme summer weather negatively impacting them or their family this year.

GOOD DATA POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT

• [Climate Change] 78% of Americans recognize that climate change is happening [AP-NORC+ EPIC]
• [Climate + Health] 65% of Americans agree that climate change is a “threat to human health” [Axios + Ipsos]
• [Climate + Elections] 65% of Americans say that climate change policy will be an important factor in their vote for president this year [AP-NORC+ EPIC]
• [Climate + Elections] 56% of Americans say that it’s “extremely” or “very” important for the next president to enforce strict clean air and water regulations [AP-NORC+ EPIC]
• [Climate + Elections] 53% of Americans say that it’s “extremely” or “very” important for the next president to expand the U.S. clean energy industry [AP-NORC+ EPIC]
• [Climate Action] 62% of Americans say that corporations and industry have “a great deal” or “a lot” of responsibility for addressing climate change [AP-NORC+ EPIC]
• [Climate Action] 59% of Americans say that the U.S. federal government has “a great deal” or “a lot” of responsibility for addressing climate change [AP-NORC+ EPIC]
• [Clean Energy Siting] 64% of Americans support a solar panel field being built in their community [AP-NORC+ EPIC]
• [Clean Energy Siting] 60% of Americans support wind turbines being built in their community [AP-NORC+ EPIC]