Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Majorities See Government Efforts to Protect the Environment as Insufficient
Americans have mixed views about how policies to reduce climate change affect the U.S. economy
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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