Political Consensus - Is it possible in a Polarized Nation?
The Art
The Sketch
Myth: A politically polarized nation cannot move forward to address climate change
Fact: A healthy majority of Americans of both parties support participation in international efforts to address climate change and the development of alternative sources of energy.
“A new Pew Research Center survey finds large shares of Americans support the United States taking steps to address global climate change and back an energy landscape that prioritizes renewable sources like wind and solar. At the same time, the findings illustrate ongoing public reluctance to make sweeping changes to American life to cut carbon emissions. Most Americans oppose ending the production of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 and there’s limited support for steps like eliminating gas lines from new buildings.
This report comes about a year after the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act introduced policies and incentives meant to dramatically reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels, a signature part of the Biden administration’s efforts on climate change. The survey takes stock of how Americans feel about related questions on climate, energy and environmental policy, including proposed changes to how Americans power their homes and cars and what to do about the impacts communities face from extreme weather.
The Pew Research Center survey of 10,329 U.S. adults conducted May 30 to June 4, 2023, finds:
§ 74% of Americans say they support the country’s participation in international efforts to reduce the effects of climate change.
§ 67% of U.S. adults prioritize the development of alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and hydrogen power over increasing the production of fossil fuel energy sources.
By sizable margins, Americans support a number of specific policy proposals aimed at reducing the effects of climate change through targeting greenhouse gas emissions and carbon in the atmosphere:
§ Overwhelming majorities support planting about a trillion trees around the world to absorb carbon emissions (89%) and requiring oil and gas companies to seal methane gas leaks from oil wells (85%).
§ 76% favor providing a tax credit to businesses that develop carbon capture technologies and 70% support taxing corporations based on their carbon emissions.
§ 61% favor requiring power plants to eliminate all carbon emissions by the year 2040.
Still, there are limits to public support for major changes to the way homes, cars and the electrical grid are powered.
Only 31% of Americans currently support phasing out the use of fossil fuel energy sources altogether. Another 32% say the U.S. should eventually stop using fossil fuels, but don’t believe the country is ready now. And 35% think the U.S. should never stop using fossil fuels to meet its energy needs.
Less than half of the public (40%) favors phasing out the production of gas-powered cars and trucks. Support for this policy is 7 percentage points lower than it was two years ago. And underscoring the strong feelings big changes to American life can engender, 45% say they would feel upset if gas-powered cars were phased out; fewer than half as many (21%) would feel excited….”
“Majorities of Americans Prioritize Renewable Energy, Back Steps to Address Climate Change, But many foresee problems ahead with transitions to renewables and oppose breaking from fossil fuels altogether, Brian Kennedy, Cary Funk and Alec Tyson, Pew Research Center, June 28, 2023
