Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Spring 2023

2. Support for Policies to Reduce the Pollution that Causes Global Warming

2.1. Most registered voters support climate-friendly energy policies.

Registered voters across the political spectrum support many energy policies designed to reduce carbon pollution and fossil fuel dependence and promote clean energy, including:

• Funding more research into renewable energy sources: 79% of registered voters, including 98% of liberal Democrats, 88% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 70% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 50% of conservative Republicans.
• Providing tax rebates to people who purchase energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels: 76% of registered voters, including 97% of liberal Democrats, 84% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 69% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 45% of conservative Republicans.
• Providing federal funding to make residential buildings in low-income communities more energy efficient: 76% of registered voters, including 95% of liberal Democrats, 84% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 68% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 47% of conservative Republicans.
• Developing a national program to train people from low-income communities and communities of color for new jobs in the renewable energy industry (such as wind and solar): 75% of registered voters, including 98% of liberal Democrats, 86% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 72% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 42% of conservative Republicans.
• Developing a national program to train people who work in the fossil fuel industry for new jobs in the renewable energy industry (such as wind and solar): 75% of registered voters, including 96% of liberal Democrats, 84% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 70% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 42% of conservative Republicans.
• Regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant: 74% of registered voters, including 95% of liberal Democrats, 85% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 65% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 42% of conservative Republicans.
• Providing tax credits or rebates to encourage people to buy electric appliances, such as heat pumps and induction stoves, that run on electricity instead of oil or gas: 71% of registered voters, including 92% of liberal Democrats, 78% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 65% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 44% of conservative Republicans.
• Transitioning the U.S. economy (including electric utilities, transportation, buildings, and industry) from fossil fuels to 100% clean energy by 2050: 69% of registered voters, including 93% of liberal Democrats, 84% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 58% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 30% of conservative Republicans.
• Requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a carbon tax and using the money to reduce other taxes (such as income tax) by an equal amount [i.e., a revenue-neutral carbon tax]: 68% of registered voters, including 90% of liberal Democrats, 82% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 59% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 34% of conservative Republicans.
• Requiring electric utilities to produce 100% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2035: 66% of registered voters, including 92% of liberal Democrats, 82% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 58% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 27% of conservative Republicans.

2.2. Most registered voters support conservation and restoration policies.

Registered voters across the political spectrum support a range of conservation and restoration policies, including:

• Providing federal funding to help farmers improve practices to protect and restore the soil so it absorbs more carbon: 82% of registered voters, including 95% of liberal Democrats, 90% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 81% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 61% of conservative Republicans.
• Creating more parks and green spaces in low-income communities and communities of color: 81% of registered voters, including 95% of liberal Democrats, 89% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 75% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 59% of conservative Republicans.

2.3. A majority of registered voters support expanding drilling for oil and natural gas off the U.S. coast.

A majority of registered voters (57%) support expanding offshore drilling for oil and natural gas off the U.S. coast. This includes 81% of conservative Republicans, 78% of liberal/moderate Republicans, 56% of moderate/conservative Democrats, and 28% of liberal Democrats.

2.4. A majority of registered voters support building climate-friendly energy production and distribution infrastructure in their local area.

Majorities of registered voters support climate-friendly energy production and distribution infrastructure in their local area, including solar farms (64%), wind farms (57%), electric vehicle charging stations (56%), and high-voltage power lines to distribute clean energy (51%). This generally includes majorities of liberal Democrats and moderate/conservative Democrats, and many liberal/moderate Republicans, but fewer conservative Republicans:

• Solar farms: liberal Democrats, 89%; moderate/conservative Democrats, 65%; liberal/moderate Republicans, 55%; conservative Republicans, 36%.
• Wind farms: liberal Democrats, 83%; moderate/conservative Democrats, 58%; liberal/moderate Republicans, 48%; conservative Republicans, 29%.
• Electric vehicle charging stations: liberal Democrats, 89%; moderate/conservative Democrats, 55%; liberal/moderate Republicans, 45%; conservative Republicans, 30%.
• High-voltage power lines to distribute clean energy: liberal Democrats, 71%; moderate/conservative Democrats, 53%; liberal/moderate Republicans, 35%; conservative Republicans, 35%.

Fewer registered voters support building nuclear power plants in their local area (34%), including 45% of conservative Republicans, 35% of liberal Democrats, 31% of liberal moderate Republicans, and 24% of moderate/conservative Democrats.

2.5. A majority of registered voters would support a president declaring a national emergency to act on global warming.

More than half of registered voters (57%) would either “strongly” (23%) or “somewhat” (34%) support a U.S. president declaring global warming a national emergency to act on it if Congress does not take further action (refer to data tables, p. 36). This would be supported by large majorities of liberal Democrats (91%, with 45% saying they “strongly support” it; refer to data tables) and moderate/conservative Democrats (75%; 29% strongly support). By contrast, 39% of liberal/moderate Republicans and 12% of conservative Republicans would support it, while 86% of conservative Republicans would oppose it (including 72% who would “strongly oppose” it; refer to data tables).

3. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA)

3.1. Most registered voters have not heard much about the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. The law aims to curb inflation by reducing the federal deficit, lowering prescription drug prices and the cost of health insurance, modernizing the Internal Revenue Service, and investing in U.S. clean energy production. The law authorizes $391 billion for developing clean energy and addressing global warming, including tax incentives and rebates to help consumers and businesses buy energy-efficient appliances, solar panels, electric vehicles, etc. The IRA also includes support for clean energy jobs and investments in communities that are most harmed by air and water pollution. It is the largest investment the U.S. government has ever made to reduce global warming, and it is projected to help the U.S. reduce its carbon pollution 40% by 2030. The law will be paid for by closing tax loopholes.

A majority of registered voters (60%) have heard at least “a little” about the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA; refer to data tables, p. 37), including about four in ten (39%) who have heard either “a lot” (12%) or “some” (27%) about it. Liberal Democrats (48%) and conservative Republicans (45%) are the most likely to have heard “a lot” or “some” about the IRA, while fewer liberal/moderate Republicans (33%) or moderate/conservative Democrats (32%) have. Four in ten registered voters (40%) have heard “nothing at all” about the IRA (refer to data tables).

3.2. A majority of registered voters support the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

After reading a brief description of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a large majority of registered voters (71%) say they support it (36% “strongly support” and 35% “somewhat support”; refer to data tables, p. 37). Nearly all liberal Democrats (98%) and a large majority of moderate/conservative Democrats (89%) support the IRA, as do a majority of liberal/moderate Republicans (57%). By contrast, 28% of conservative Republicans support the IRA, while 70% oppose it (including 46% who strongly oppose it; refer to data tables).

4. Who Should Take Action to Address Global Warming?

4.1. Majorities of registered voters want corporations and industry, citizens, and government to do more to address global warming.

A large majority of registered voters say corporations and industry should do either “much more” or “more” to address global warming (70% of registered voters, including 93% of liberal Democrats, 78% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 65% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 38% of conservative Republicans).

Half or more of registered voters, including majorities of both liberal and moderate/conservative Democrats, say the U.S. Congress (63%), the Republican Party (62%), citizens themselves (61%), their local government officials (57%), their governor (56%), the media (55%), the Democratic Party (55%), and President Biden (54%) should do more to address global warming. About half (47%) say they themselves should do more.

About half of liberal/moderate Republicans (48%) say their party (the Republican Party) should do more to address global warming, while only 22% of conservative Republicans say so. Majorities of both liberal Democrats (83%) and moderate/conservative Democrats (62%) say their party (the Democratic Party) should do more.

4.2. Across the political spectrum, few registered voters think the U.S. government is responding well to global warming.

Few registered voters agree that the U.S. government is responding well to the issue of global warming (11%). This is true across the political spectrum: Only 16% of liberal Democrats, 14% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 6% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 9% of conservative Republicans agree.

5. Political Actions to Limit Global Warming

5.1. Relatively few registered voters have engaged in political actions to reduce global warming in the past year.

Relatively few registered voters have engaged in political actions to reduce global warming over the past 12 months, including 17% who say they have signed a petition about global warming at least “once,” and 12% who say they have donated money to an organization working on global warming at least “once.” Fewer (5%) have volunteered their time to an organization working on global warming at least “once” in the past year.

5.2. Relatively few registered voters have urged elected officials to reduce global warming.

Eight percent of registered voters have contacted government officials to urge them to take action to reduce global warming at least one time over the past 12 months. This includes 17% of liberal Democrats, 9% of moderate/conservative Democrats, and 6% of liberal/moderate Republicans, but less than 1% of conservative Republicans.

5.3. Many registered voters are willing to take political actions to reduce global warming.

More than half of registered voters (56%) say they would sign a petition about global warming, including majorities of liberal Democrats (86%) and moderate/conservative Democrats (68%), but fewer liberal/moderate Republicans (38%) and conservative Republicans (21%). Fewer say they would donate money to an organization working on global warming (32%), contact government officials about global warming (31%), volunteer their time to an organization working on global warming (31%), or meet with an elected official or their staff about global warming (28%).

About one in four registered voters (27%) would support an organization engaging in non-violent civil disobedience against corporate or government activities that make global warming worse, and 15% (including 27% of liberal Democrats) would personally engage in such non-violent civil disobedience.

5.4. Few registered voters would be willing to get arrested as part of a non-violent civil disobedience action.

Although 15% of registered voters say they would personally engage in non-violent civil disobedience against corporate or government activities that make global warming worse (refer to section 5.3), only 5% say they would be willing to get arrested as part of such an action (2% “definitely would,” 3% “probably would”; refer to data tables, p. 45). This includes 10% of liberal Democrats, 4% of moderate/conservative Democrats, 2% of liberal/moderate Republicans, and 1% of conservative Republicans.

According to the most recent data available from the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 168 million registered voters in the United States. Given that 2% say they “definitely would” get arrested as part of a non-violent action against activities that make global warming worse, and an additional 3% “probably would,” it suggests that approximately 3 to 8 million registered voters may be willing to do so.

5.5. One in three registered voters are participating, or willing to participate, in a campaign to convince elected officials to take action to reduce global warming – although current participation is low.

One in three in ten registered voters (33%) say they are either “definitely” (9%) or “probably” (22%) willing to join a campaign to convince elected officials to take action to reduce global warming or are already currently participating in such a campaign (1%; refer to data tables, p. 45). This includes 63% of liberal Democrats (3% “currently,” 19% “definitely,” 42% “probably”), 33% of moderate/conservative Democrats (1% “currently,” 8% “definitely,” 23% “probably”), 18% of liberal/moderate Republicans (none “currently,” 4% “definitely,” 13% “probably”), and 8% of conservative Republicans (less than 1% “currently,” 1% “definitely,” and 6% “probably”).

6. Collective Efficacy

6.1. About half of Americans are confident they can affect what the federal government and corporations do about global warming.

Perceived collective efficacy regarding global warming – the belief that like-minded citizens can work together to influence what government and business leaders do about global warming – is an important motivator for individuals to take collective action.1 About half of registered voters (51%) are at least “moderately confident” that people like them, working together, can affect what the federal government does about global warming. Many registered voters (47%) are also at least “moderately confident” that people like them, working together, can affect what corporations do about global warming.

Liberal Democrats have the highest perceptions of collective efficacy regarding global warming, while conservative Republicans have the lowest perceptions of collective efficacy, although that may in part be because they are less likely to support action on global warming overall.

7. State and Local Government Action on Global Warming

7.1. Large majorities of registered voters support climate-friendly policies for their local community.

Across the political spectrum, large majorities of registered voters support climate-friendly policies for their local community, including increasing the availability of public transportation in their county (86%), providing funding to help homeowners make energy-efficient improvements to their homes (85%), and constructing bike paths and installing bike lanes (79%).

Appendix I: Data Tables

Data Tables can be found beginning on p. 30 of the PDF version of the report:     Download Full Report

Appendix II: Survey Method