Poll: More Republicans Concerned About Climate Change After Hurricanes

More Republican voters are worried about climate change after massive hurricanes pummeled states including GOP-heavy state Texas, Florida and Louisiana. 57% percent of Republican registered voters said they were concerned about climate change and its impact on the environment, up 7 percentage points from April. 67% voters polled said they were concerned about climate change and its environmental impact, although concern among Democrats and independents actually dipped (7 and 4 percentage points, respectively). 

When asked about the contribution of climate change to recent natural disasters, such as the hurricanes that impacted parts of Texas and Louisiana, 61% of voters — including 52% of GOP voters — said the changing climate had at least some impact, while 21% believed it had little or no impact. 52% of registered voters believe that climate change is making natural disasters more frequent, and the same percentage said climate change is making those disasters more powerful. Geography also appears to be playing a role in driving public sentiment toward a more hawkish view on the subject in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. 41% of respondents who reside in the South said they were very concerned about climate change’s impact on the U.S. environment, up 8 percentage points from the spring survey.  

Write-up here.