Climate Change in the American Mind

March 28, 2019

Materials will be available at: www.eesi.org/032819polling

Tweet about the briefing: #eesitalk @eesionline

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Climate Change in the American Mind

The Five Key Ideas

1. Scientists agree…

2. It’s real.

3. It's us.

4. It's bad…

5. …but there’s hope!

Do you think global warming is happening?

December 2018. Base: Americans 18+.

Most Americans ThinkGlobal Warming Is Happening

71%

57%61% 63% 62%

66%70%

63% 62% 64% 66%63%

67%70% 70% 70% 71% 70%

73%

10%

20% 18% 18%16% 14% 12%

16%

23%19%

16%18%

15%11% 13% 13% 13% 14% 14%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

11/08 1/10 6/10 5/11 11/11 3/12 9/12 4/13 11/13 4/14 10/14 3/15 10/15 3/16 11/16 5/17 10/17 3/18 12/18

Think global warming is happening

Think global warming is NOT happening

Assuming global warming is happening, do you think it is…

December 2018. Base: Americans 18+.

A Majority of Americans Think Global WarmingIs Mostly Human-Caused

57%

46%50%

47% 49%46%

54%49% 47%

52% 51% 52% 53% 54% 55%58%

54%58%

62%

32%35% 34% 35%

32%37%

32% 33%36%

33% 33% 32% 33% 34%30% 30%

33%28%

23%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

11/08 1/10 6/10 5/11 11/11 3/12 9/12 4/13 11/13 4/14 10/14 3/15 10/15 3/16 11/16 5/17 10/17 3/18 12/18

Think global warming is caused mostly by human activities

Think global warming is caused mostly by natural changes in the environment

How worried are you about global warming?

March 2018. Base: Americans 18+.

Americans “Very Worried”About Global Warming Jumped 8 Points

16%11% 12% 9% 12% 11%

16% 14% 15% 15% 11% 11%16% 16% 19% 17%

22% 21%29%

46%

37%41%

42%41% 42%

42%37% 38% 41% 45% 41%

41% 42%42%

39%

42% 41%

40%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

11/08 1/10 6/10 5/11 11/11 3/12 9/12 4/13 11/13 4/14 10/14 3/15 10/15 3/16 11/16 5/17 10/17 3/18 12/18

Very worried Somewhat worried

62%

48%53% 51% 53% 53%

58%

51% 53%56%

62%

69%

56% 56%52%

57% 58%

64%61%

Global Warming’s “Six Americas”

Illustration

by Michael

Sloan

Global Warming’s Six Americas

5 Year Change (2013-2018)

27%

20%

24%

20%

15% 16%

26% 26%

21%

26%

29%30%

39%

34%

44%

52%

41%

54%

20%19%

14%

9%

18%

8%

17%

16% 16%18%

15%

18%

22%

19%

25%

17%

22%

28%

10%

5%7%

5%4%

3%

6% 5%7%

4%

7%6% 6%

8%

5%7%

10%

7%

0%11/08 1/10 6/10 5/11 11/11 3/12 9/12 4/13 11/13 10/14 3/15 10/15 3/16 11/16 5/17 10/17 3/18 12/18

Democrats Independents Republicans

Do you think each of these issues should be a low, medium, high, or very high priority for the next president and Congress? [Global warming]Base: Registered Voters.

Global Warming Should be a “Very High” Priorityfor the President and Congress

How important will the candidates’ positions on the following issues be when you decide who you will vote for in the 2018 Congressional election?

March 2018. Base: Registered American Voters.

Global Warming Was #4 Voting Issue for Liberal D’sRank by

“very important”

All Registered Voters (n = 1,067)

Liberal Democrats(n = 265)

Moderate/Conservative Democrats(n = 204)

Liberal/Moderate Republicans

(n = 149)

Conservative Republicans

(n = 276)

1 Healthcare Healthcare Healthcare The economy The economy

2 The economy Gun policies Education Social Security Terrorism

3 Social Security Environmental protection Social Security Terrorism Immigration reform

4 Gun policies Global warming The economy Gun policies Social Security

5 Education Income gap Gun policies Healthcare Gun policies

6 Terrorism Education Terrorism Education Federal budget deficit

7 Improving roads, etc. Russian election interference Russian election interference Federal budget deficit Healthcare

8 Environmental protection Social Security Environmental protection Improving roads, etc. Tax reform

9 Federal budget deficit The economy Improving roads, etc. Tax reform Abortion

10 Immigration reform Developing clean energy Income gap Immigration reform Education

11 Tax reform Improving roads, etc. Disaster relief Environmental protection Improving roads, etc.

12 Russian election interference Race relations Tax reform Foreign policy Foreign policy

13 Income gap Disaster relief Developing clean energy Energy independence Same-sex marriage

14 Developing clean energy Federal budget deficit Federal budget deficit Opioid crisis Energy independence

15 Global warming Immigration reform Race relations Income gap Criminal justice reform

16 Disaster relief Criminal justice reform Global warming Criminal justice reform Opioid crisis

17 Race relations Same-sex marriage Energy independence Russian election interference International trade

18 Criminal justice reform Tax reform Criminal justice reform Developing clean energy Russian election interference

19 Energy independence Campaign finance reform Immigration reform Campaign finance reform Campaign finance reform

20 Abortion Foreign policy Opioid crisis International trade War in Afghanistan

21 Foreign policy Terrorism Foreign policy Disaster relief Disaster relief

22 Opioid crisis Wall Street reform Abortion Race relations Environmental protection

23 Campaign finance reform Abortion Campaign finance reform Global warming Legalizing marijuana

24 Same-sex marriage Energy independence Wall Street reform Abortion Developing clean energy

25 International trade Opioid crisis Legalizing marijuana War in Afghanistan Race relations

26 Wall Street reform Legalizing marijuana War in Afghanistan Wall Street reform Wall Street reform

27 War in Afghanistan International trade International trade Legalizing marijuana Income gap

28 Legalizing marijuana War in Afghanistan Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage Global warming

Democrats Republicans

All RegVoters Total Lib

Mod/Con Ind Total

Lib/Mod Con

(Unweighted base) (996) (466) (295) (168) (95) (356) (116) (238)

% % % % % % % %

Fund more research into renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power

88 95 98 92 84 81 81 80

Provide tax rebates for people who purchase energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels

85 95 96 93 85 71 77 67

Regulate carbon dioxide (the primary greenhouse gas) as a pollutant

79 93 95 90 81 60 65 56

Require electric utilities to produce at least 20% of their electricity from…renewables, even if it costs the average household an extra $100/year

70 87 92 80 64 48 57 42

Registered Voters Support Climate-Friendly Energy Policies

- % who say “strongly” or “somewhat support” policy -

How much do you support or oppose the following policies?

December 2018. Base: Registered American Voters.

Most Americans Think Policies that Promote Clean Energy Will Improve Economic Growth and Create Jobs

Do you think that government policies intended to transition away from fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) and toward clean energy (solar, wind) will: (a) improve economic growth and provide new jobs, (b) reduce economic growth and cost jobs, (c) have no effect on economic growth or jobs?

December 2018. Base: 1,114 American adults. Values for political groups include registered voters only (n=966).

58%

75%

59%

39%

82%

65%

48%

34%

23%

16%18%

29%

12%

21%

37%

25%

18%

7%

22%

31%

5%

11%14%

40%

0%

50%

100%

FullSample

(n=1,114)

Total Dem(n=466)

Ind(n=95)

Total Rep(n=356)

Lib D(n=295)

Mod/Con D(n=168)

Lib/Mod R(n=116)

Con R(n=238)

Improves growth & jobs No effect Reduces growth & jobs

How much do you support or oppose requiring electric utilities in your state to produce 100% of their electricity from clean, renewable energy sources (such as wind and solar) by 2050?

December 2018. Base: Registered American voters (n=966)

A Large Bipartisan Majority of Registered Voters

Support Requiring Electric Utilities to Use

100% Clean, Renewable Energy by 2050

38

7

52

1

30

7

20 16

64

2

3429

614

22

47

7

43

3

58

6

51

13

33

1

58

5

54

11

49

14

0

50

100

88%85% 83%

95%

64%

92%

14%

All Reg. Voters

(n=966)

Total Dem(n=466)

Ind.(n=95)

Total Rep(n=356)

Lib D(n=295)

Con/Mod D(n=168)

Lib/Mod R(n=116)

12%4% 5%

17%

36%

71%

97%

Con R(n=238)

29%

3%

“somewhat support”

“strongly support”

“somewhat oppose”

“strongly oppose”

Voters are More Likely to Vote for a Candidate Who Supports

Requiring Utilities to Use 100% Clean, Renewable Energy

54%

72%

43%

33%

82%

57%

45%

27%

32%

24%

44%

38%

14%

39%42%

36%

13%

4%

13%

28%

3%5%

12%

37%

0%

50%

100%

All Reg.Voters

Total Dem Total Ind Total Rep Lib D Mod/Con D Lib/Mod R Con R

More likely No difference Less likely

Would you be more or less likely to vote for a candidate for political office who supports requiring electric utilities in your state to produce 100% of their electricity from clean, renewable energy sources (such as wind and solar) by 2050?

December 2018. Base: Registered American voters (n=966).

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Climate Change in the American Mind

Materials will be available at: www.eesi.org/032819polling

Tweet about the briefing: #eesitalk @eesionline

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