By the Numbers: Politics and Global Warming

Researchers from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication conducted a nationally representative survey of registered voters to determine global-warming beliefs and attitudes. The survey documents “an increase in Republican understanding of the reality of human-caused global warming, worry about the threat and support for several climate policies …”

32

The percentage of surveyed registered voters who support drilling for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Broken down by political affiliation, only 18 percent of Democrats, 33 percent of Independents and 53 percent of Republicans support Alaskan drilling.

57

The percentage of registered voters who think global warming should be a high or very high priority for the president and Congress, including 84 percent of Democrats, 41 percent of independents and 24 percent of Republicans.

62

The percentage of registered voters who think global warming is caused mostly by human activities, which is the highest percentage since the surveys began in 2008 and eight percentage points higher than in October 2017. This includes 90 percent of liberal Democrats, 66 percent of moderate/conservative Democrats, 53 percent of liberal/moderate Republicans, but only 28 percent of conservative Republicans.

63

The percentage of registered voters who support Fee and Dividend, described as “requiring fossil-fuel companies to pay a fee on carbon pollution, and distributing the money collected to all U.S. citizens, in equal amounts, through monthly dividend checks.” That includes 78 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of independents and 39 percent of Republicans.

67

The percentage of registered voters who are worried about global warming, including 85 percent of liberal Democrats, 80 percent of moderate/conservative Democrats and 54 percent of liberal/moderate Republicans. Only 32 percent of conservative Republicans are worried, although that is a nine-point increase since October 2017 and the highest percentage since the surveys began in 2008.

69

The percentage of registered voters who think the United States should reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions, regardless of what other countries do. That includes 92 percent of liberal Democrats, 76 percent of moderate/conservative Democrats, 55 percent of liberal/moderate Republicans and 45 percent of conservative Republicans.

71

The percentage of registered voters who support the Clean Power Plan, described as “setting strict carbon dioxide emission limits on existing coal-fired power plants to reduce global warming and improve public health, even if the cost of electricity to consumers and companies would likely increase.” That includes 86 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of independents and 48 percent of Republicans.

74

The percentage of survey respondents who believe global warming is happening. That includes 98 percent of liberal Democrats, 85 percent of moderate/conservative Democrats and 70 percent of liberal/moderate Republicans. Only 42 percent of conservative Republicans think global warming is happening, but that reflects an increase of five percentage points since October 2017.

79

The percentage of registered voters who support regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant. That includes 93 percent of Democrats, 81 percent of independents and 60 percent of Republicans.

81

The percentage of registered voters who support the Green New Deal, which is described as “producing jobs and strengthening America’s economy by accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy … generating 100 percent of the nation’s electricity from clean, renewable sources within the next 10 years; upgrading the nation’s energy grid, buildings and transportation infrastructure; increasing energy efficiency; investing in green-technology research and development; and providing training for jobs in the new green economy.” That includes 92 percent of Democrats, 88 percent of independents and 64 percent of Republicans.

85

The percentage of registered voters who support providing tax rebates to people who purchase energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels. That includes 95 percent of Democrats, 85 percent of independents and 71 percent of Republicans.

Source:  Politics & Global Warming Survey, climatecommunication.yale.edu