Poll: Protecting environment for future generations not priority for GOP

Just days after US President Joe Biden named climate change an “existential threat to humanity,” a new Pew Research Center report shows that only 48% of Republicans believe protecting the environment for future generations is very important.

In contrast, 81% of Democrats say protecting the environment for future generations is very important.

The survey was published Wednesday night and includes interviews with 10,329 American adults between May 30 and June 4, 2023. It highlights the competing visions of Republicans and Democrats regarding climate and energy issues.

“Stacked up against other national issues, climate change consistently ranks as a low priority for Republicans,” the Pew report said.

Conflicting visions regarding climate and energy

Specifically, regarding climate proposals, Republicans place the most significant emphasis (69%) on keeping consumer costs low. Similarly, 61% said increasing job opportunities and economic growth is very important.

In contrast, 57% of Democrats said climate proposals should help lower-income communities; 53% said they should increase jobs and economic growth and 51% said they should keep consumer costs low.

The report examines US support for moving away from fossil fuels and toward more renewable energy sources like solar and wind, around one year after Biden signed the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which is meant to reduce America’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Republicans, Pew found, continue to show skepticism toward renewable energy transition and are reluctant to make a break from fossil fuels.

“Republicans and Republican-leaning independents prioritize oil, coal and natural gas development over renewable energy sources and have deep concerns (especially around prices) about what a transition to renewable energy would mean for the country,” Pew researchers wrote.

While Democrats say renewable energy sources should be given priority over the development of oil, coal and natural gas by a 90% to 10% margin, some 58% of Republicans say expanding oil, coal and natural gas production should be the country’s energy priority.

Some 87% of Republicans and Republican leaners think the US should use a mix of fossil fuel and renewable energy sources.

Most Democrats and Democratic leaners think America should stop using fossil fuels, though not all (only 48%) believe America is ready to do so now.

Both Democrats and Republicans favor the expansion of solar and wind energy, although fewer Republicans support this expansion today than they did in 2022 when Pew conducted a similar survey.

According to the new report, 93% of Democrats and 70% (7% fewer than last year) of Republicans favor increasing solar panel farms. Likewise, 91% of Democrats favor more wind turbine farms, compared to 60% (down four points) of Republicans.

When it comes to phasing out gasoline cars and trucks by 2035 – a goal of the Biden administration – 59% of Americans oppose it. This includes 73% of Republicans who said they would be “upset” if gas-powered vehicles were phased out.

Americans hesitate partly because of their lack of trust that a proper electric vehicle (EV) network will replace fossil fuel stations. Only 17% of Americans say they are “extremely or very confident” the US will build the necessary charging stations and infrastructure to support mass electric car use.

Specifically, 74% of Republicans said that they have “not too much or no confidence” that building an EV network will happen, despite the Biden administration’s setting aside $5 billion for this project.

The survey showed that only 38% of Americans would consider purchasing an electric vehicle.

Most Americans experienced extreme weather

When it comes to extreme weather events, 69% of Americans say they have experienced at least one over the last year: long periods of scorching weather (45%), severe weather such as floods or intense storms (44%), droughts or water shortages (33%), significant wildfires (18%) and rising sea levels that erode beaches and shorelines (16%).

However, Republicans and Democrats differ on whether these events are due to climate change. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to connect climate change and extreme weather. For example, 75% of Democrats who experienced long heatwaves in the past year believe climate change “contributed a lot,” while only 34% of Republicans agree.

Finally, how do Americans feel Biden is doing when it comes to his policies on climate change?

Less than half, 45%, say the president is taking the country in the right direction on climate change.

Specifically, 82% of Republicans say Biden’s climate policies are taking the country in the wrong direction.