Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Majorities See Government Efforts to Protect the Environment as Insufficient
Strong political divides over whether government is doing too little to protect the environment
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- Majorities See Government Efforts to Protect the Environment as Insufficient
- Majorities of U.S. adults say federal government is not doing enough to protect environment in these ways
- Majorities of Republicans and Democrats support increased use of solar, wind power
- Views about the effects of climate policies vary widely by political orientation
- Most Republicans say it is possible to cut regulations and still protect air and water quality
- Strong political divides over whether government is doing too little to protect the environment
- More Republicans stress importance of domestic energy sources; most Democrats focus on environment
- Strong public support for more solar and wind power
- Strong bipartisan support for expanding renewables, but wide ideological divides over fossil fuels
- Americans remain divided over government’s importance in promoting wider use of renewables
- Democrats and Republicans tend to disagree over evidence of and main causes of climate change
- Two-thirds of Americans say most climate scientists think the Earth is warming due to human activity
- A majority of U.S. adults say climate change affects their local area; 31% say it affects them personally
- 45% of those who see effects of climate change in their community cite changes in weather patterns, temperature
- Most liberal Democrats see policies aimed at reducing climate change effects as positive for environment
- Americans have mixed views about how policies to reduce climate change affect the U.S. economy
- Most Americans say power plant emissions restrictions and corporate tax incentives can make a difference in reducing climate change effects
- Conservative Republicans are more skeptical of whether these climate proposals would be effective
- Americans are closely divided over whether solar geoengineering would help reduce climate change
- A majority of conservative Republicans think solar geoengineering would do more harm than good for the environment
- Republican Millennials are less inclined than older Republicans to support expanding fossil fuels
- Republicans across generations largely skeptical that policies to reduce climate change help the environment
- Those who care a great deal about climate change issue think government is doing too little and potential policies to reduce effects can make a difference