Environmental Polling Roundup – February 16, 2024
HEADLINES
[Western States] Colorado College – The latest “State of the Rockies” poll finds that Western voters across party lines rate conservation issues as an important factor in their vote this year; for the first time in the poll’s history, the majority of Republicans say that conservation should be prioritized over maximizing fossil fuel production [Website, Press Release, Topline]
[Young Conservatives] American Conservation Coalition – Young conservatives overwhelmingly support the clean energy transition and say that Republicans in Congress should care more about climate change [Deck]
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Conservation remains a clear bipartisan priority. The latest wave of Colorado College’s long-running “State of the Rockies” poll finds overwhelming, bipartisan support for conservation proposals such as 30×30 in Western States. And for the first time in the survey’s history, majorities of Republicans, independents, and Democrats all say that they would prefer that their member of Congress focuses on protecting clean water, air quality, and wildlife habitat over maximizing drilling and mining for fossil fuels on public lands. When it comes to clean energy production, meanwhile, Western voters importantly agree that we can increase clean energy production while also preserving natural areas and the character of our communities.
- Clean energy is a winning issue with young conservatives. The American Conservation Coalition finds that young conservatives overwhelmingly agree that the country should shift toward using more clean energy sources, and solar energy is particularly popular with this audience. This embrace of clean energy by young conservatives helps to explain the disconnect that they’re feeling with the national Republican Party on climate issues, as young conservatives are far more likely to say that Republicans in Congress should care about climate change than to believe that Republicans in Congress currently do care about climate change.
GOOD DATA POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT
- [Western States] 90% of voters in Western States support requiring oil and gas companies, rather than federal and state governments, to pay for all of the clean-up and land restoration costs after drilling is finished [Colorado College]
- [Western States] 85% of voters in Western States say that issues involving clean water, clean air, wildlife and public lands are an important factor in deciding whether to support an elected official [Colorado College]
- [Western States] 80% of voters in Western States support the goal of conserving 30% of the United States’ land and inland waters and 30% of ocean areas by 2030 [Colorado College]
- [Western States] 75% of voters in Western States agree that we can both increase the production of clean energy while also preserving natural areas, wildlife habitat and the character of our communities [Colorado College]
- [Young Conservatives] 79% of young conservative voters say that Republicans in Congress should care about climate change [American Conservation Coalition]
- [Young Conservatives] 76% of young conservative voters support the U.S. shifting to produce more of its domestic energy using “clean energy” sources and reduce its use of fossil fuels [American Conservation Coalition]
FULL ROUNDUP
[Western States] Colorado College – The latest “State of the Rockies” poll finds that Western voters across party lines rate conservation issues as an important factor in their vote this year; for the first time in the poll’s history, majorities of Republicans and independents say that conservation should be prioritized over maximizing fossil fuel production [Website, Press Release, Topline]
The latest edition of Colorado College’s long-running “State of the Rockies” poll includes a wealth of findings about the priorities and policy preferences of voters in Western States (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, and WY).
Many of the findings are consistent with previous waves of the poll, such as Western voters’ deep concerns about water issues, while the latest wave also reveals rising awareness of climate impacts and unprecedented agreement across party lines that elected officials should prioritize conservation over maximizing fossil fuel production.
Conservation issues are electorally important for Western voters of all political affiliations, even more than in 2016 and 2020. More than four in five Western voters (85%) say that issues involving clean water, clean air, wildlife, and public lands are important for them in deciding whether to support an elected public official. This figure has been steadily rising in recent presidential election years, from 75% in 2016 to 80% in 2020 and up to 85% this year.
Additionally, majorities of voters of all political affiliations – including 96% of Democrats, 87% of independents, and 74% of Republicans – say that these conservation-related issues are important factors in their votes.
Water availability continues to be a particularly salient environmental problem for Western voters. The poll finds that Western voters are concerned about a range of environmental problems, including uncontrollable wildfires (which 56% rate as an “extremely” or “very” serious problem for their state) and air pollution and smog (52%).
Problems relating to water availability continue to have particular resonance in the West, meanwhile, as large majorities rate both of the following as “extremely” or “very” serious problems in their state:
- Low level of water in rivers – 70% “extremely” or “very” serious problem
- Inadequate water supplies – 66%
Western voters prioritize protection of public lands over fossil fuel extraction by a wide margin. For the first time, majorities of every political affiliation say that conservation should take priority over maximizing fossil fuel production. By a 70%-26% margin, Western voters say that their member of Congress should prioritize the protection of public lands over maximizing fossil fuel production:
- 70% would prefer that their member of Congress focuses on “ensuring we protect sources of clean water, our air quality and wildlife habitat while providing opportunities to visit and recreate on our national public lands.”
- 26% would prefer that their member of Congress focuses on “ensuring we produce more domestic energy by maximizing the amount of national public lands available for responsible oil and gas drilling and mining.”
And for the first time in the State of the Rockies survey (which launched in 2011), majorities across party lines – including 89% of Democrats, 72% of independents, and 52% of Republicans – say that their member of Congress should prioritize conservation over fossil fuel extraction.
30×30 and other conservation proposals remain overwhelmingly popular in the West. Four in five Western voters (80%) support “achieving a national goal of conserving thirty percent of land and inland waters in America and thirty percent of its ocean areas by the year 2030.”
The overwhelming majority (85%) also support “creating new national parks, national monuments, national wildlife refuges and tribal protected areas to protect historic sites or areas for outdoor recreation.”
A growing majority of Western voters recognize the significant impacts of climate change in their states. Nearly three-quarters of Western voters (66%) say that climate change has had a significant impact in their state over the past decade, up from 62% in 2020.
More than one-third (35%) now also say that the effects of climate change in their state have been “very” significant, a six-point increase from 2020 (29%).
Gen Z voters (82%) and millennials (73%) are particularly likely to say that their state has felt significant impacts from climate change.
Western voters widely agree that clean energy production is compatible with protecting natural areas, wildlife, and the character of communities. By an overwhelming 75%-20% margin, Western voters reject the notion that they have to choose between increasing clean energy production and preserving natural areas, habitat, and community character:
- 75% agree more with a statement that “we can both increase the production of clean energy while also preserving natural areas, wildlife habitat, and the character of our communities”
- 20% agree more with a statement that “we need to choose between increasing the production of clean energy and preserving natural areas, wildlife habitat and the character of our communities”
[Young Conservatives] American Conservation Coalition – Young conservatives overwhelmingly support the clean energy transition and say that Republicans in Congress should care more about climate change [Deck]
This poll of young conservatives (voters aged 18-35 who self-identify as conservative by label or hold conservative preferences on social and economic issues) contains a lot of interesting findings about an audience that clearly feels somewhat alienated by the national Republican Party’s approach to climate change and clean energy.
There’s a clear disconnect between young conservatives and the national Republican Party on climate change. While young conservatives overwhelmingly agree that Republicans in Congress should care about climate change (79% agree, including 41% who agree “strongly”), only around half of young conservatives (54%) believe that Republicans in Congress currently do care about climate change.
Young conservatives are widely on board with the clean energy transition. Roughly three-quarters of young conservatives (76%) support the United States “shifting to produce more of its domestic energy using ‘clean energy’ sources and reduce its use of fossil fuels.”
Energy independence and climate change are both key rationales for young conservatives who support the clean energy transition. When asked to choose the main reason why they support the shift toward clean energy, young conservatives who say that they support the transition are most likely to cite energy independence and climate change:
- It would help the U.S. be more energy independent / reduce reliance on imports – 33% main reason
- It would reduce emissions and help combat climate change – 28%
- It would reduce energy prices/costs – 21%
- It would create jobs in your area – 11%
- It would help the U.S. compete with China – 7%
Solar is young conservatives’ most favored energy source by a wide margin. Solar energy is the one energy source that most young conservatives want the United States to increase production of, while wind is also more popular than any fossil fuel:
- Solar power – 59% increase / 8% reduce
- Wind – 43% increase / 11% reduce
- Natural gas – 35% increase / 16% reduce
- Oil – 31% increase / 25% reduce
- Nuclear power – 30% increase / 26% reduce
- Coal – 20% increase / 29% reduce
Young conservatives need to hear about the economic benefits of clean energy. Young conservatives care about a wide range of factors in energy policy and want to see solutions that both address pollution and boost the economy.
The economic benefits of the clean energy transition are not top-of-mind for these voters when they think about clean energy’s advantages, and it’s important that this audience hears more about the benefits of the clean energy transition for the economy and for consumers.
Below are the factors that young conservatives are most likely to say should be “very important” in the country’s decisions about which energy sources to use:
- Providing good quality jobs for Americans – 70% “very important”
- Keeping costs low for consumers – 65%
- Improving access to reliable energy – 61%
- Using sources that produce energy more efficiently – 58%
- Reducing water and air pollution – 58%
- Protecting the natural environment – 56%
- Reducing reliance on foreign countries for energy – 53%
Related Resources
Environmental Polling Roundup – August 6th, 2021
This post includes a roundup of climate + environment headlines from this week’s public polls, good data points to highlight, and a full roundup including key takeaways from each poll.
Environmental Polling Roundup – August 23rd, 2021
This post includes a roundup of climate + environment headlines from this week’s public polls, good data points to highlight, and a full roundup including key takeaways from each poll.
Environmental Polling Roundup – August 27th, 2021
This post includes a roundup of climate + environment headlines from this week’s public polls, good data points to highlight, and a full roundup including key takeaways from each poll.