Key Takeaways:

• The large majority of voters respond favorably to the Build Back Better reconciliation bill when its main elements (including the cost and tax provisions) are presented to them.

• Most voters say that climate change is responsible for extreme weather events and there is strong majority support for action on climate change. Voters say they are more likely to support the Build Back Better package because of its provisions on clean energy, climate change, and environmental justice.

• The provisions of the package that lower costs for working families and seniors, including energy costs, are important to swing voters and offer a winning response to criticisms that the Build Back Better package will fuel inflation.

• There also is a winning rebuttal to the “tax-and-spend” criticism of the package, focusing on the facts that (a) the legislation would be paid for by making the wealthy and multinational corporations pay their fair share; (b) no one under $400,000 will pay more in taxes; and (c) the long-term benefits will outweigh the costs because the proposed investments will grow the economy, create jobs, and help tackle climate change.

(This poll was collected by the Environmental Polling Consortium. If you would like to learn more about the EPC and receive weekly polling insights, please contact epc@partnershipproject.org)

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.

HEADLINES

• Climate Power + LCV - Investments in clean energy, climate action, and environmental justice bolster support for the reconciliation bill; the most persuasive messages focus on economic aspects including how the bill will lower costs for households (Slide Deck)
• Climate Power + Data for Progress - Voters support a range of climate-related proposals that were left out of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, especially clean electricity incentives, investments in energy efficiency, and investments in solar and wind (Release, Memo, Topline)
• POLITICO + Morning Consult - Voters continue to back the bipartisan infrastructure bill, especially investments in roads, bridges, and water infrastructure; voters are more split on the reconciliation package, but overwhelmingly support expanded home care for the elderly and disabled (Topline, Crosstabs)
• Data for Progress - Voters think that oil and gas companies have too much power, especially after learning about comments made by a senior Exxon lobbyist; “oil and gas companies” are a more compelling villain than “fossil fuel companies” (Release, Topline)
• Yale Program on Climate Change Communication + George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication - Petition signing is the most appealing ask to get voters involved in climate advocacy, and there is clear interest in community preparedness groups (Summary, Full Report)

Key Takeaways:

• Seven in ten say climate change is a major crisis or problem.
• Nearly half of Americans say their community's weather this summer differs from that of past summers, including hotter weather caused by climate change.
• A rebuttal focused on the daily impacts felt from climate change is more effective than focusing on casualties and extreme weather when responding to those who say we shouldn't invest in tackling climate change.

Links: Article, Slide Deck, & Full Topline

(This poll was collected by the Environmental Polling Consortium. If you would like to learn more about the EPC and receive weekly polling insights, please contact epc@partnershipproject.org)

This tipsheet covers six principles to help organizations interested in developing and implementing a relational organizing strategy. These tips include:

• Relationships are key to keeping people engaged and ready to take action
• Developing a relational organizing strategy takes time
• A variety of relational organizing approaches is the spice of life!
• Relational organizing is power-building
• 1-on-1s are about creating long-lasting, transformative relationships
• Relational organizing and cultural organizing can be very effective together

This memo from the White House highlights public polling about key environmental provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework (BIF), as well as strong poll numbers for climate-related infrastructure investments that were left out of the bipartisan plan. 

The memo shows that Americans broadly support a range of environmental policies included in the BIF:

• Nearly three-quarters of Americans support replacing all lead water pipes and service lines (per Morning Consult)
• The majority of Americans support investments to plug abandoned oil and gas wells and restore abandoned mines (per Morning Consult)
• 63% of Americans support robust proposals for transit and rail investments (per Morning Consult)
• 61% of Americans support investments to build new electric vehicle charging stations (per Navigator) 
• 61% of voters support providing more federal assistance to cities and states to improve the resiliency of infrastructure to extreme weather events (per Data for Progress)
• 60% of Americans support investing in clean energy to help avoid power outages, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and combat climate change (per Yahoo News/YouGov)

Additionally, Americans widely support several climate-related policies that are not included in the BIF:

• 64% of Americans support incentives to spur clean energy deployment (per Reuters)
• Nearly two-thirds of voters support government action to move the country to a fully clean power sector by 2035 (per Data for Progress)
• 77% of voters support creating a Civilian Climate Corps of conservation and resilience workers (per Data for Progress)

Research is core to the Lab’s goal of finding and highlighting evidence of what works (and what doesn’t) in climate advocacy. At the Lab, we know that many of the climate wins we need will be built on the foundation of investments now in research to answer the critical public engagement questions facing our movement. Our research agenda is a roadmap of what we think are some of the most critical gaps in the community’s evidence base, grounded in our Research Vision and driving our research program. Our research agenda also lays out our broader research principles, including putting theory into practice, an emphasis on portable results, the importance of centering equity & inclusion, the value of triangulating on knowledge from multiple sources, and more. In putting forward a research agenda, we hope to inspire and facilitate critical conversations, and we welcome input as we develop our research plans. We are also looking for partners to help us execute this agenda: climate advocacy organizations interested in field research, and funders to make ongoing learning possible. Please be in touch.

• 70% of respondents to a recent U.S. survey are aware of the scientific consensus that climate change is largely caused by people, and that the world isn't on track to reach the temperature reduction targets of the Paris climate agreement -- suggesting Americans' understanding of climate change has increased in recent years, and particularly over the last five years.
• Republicans had the lowest share of correct answers, but a slight majority (52%) were aware of both the scientific consensus and the reality that the world hasn't made enough progress toward the Paris targets.
• The poll found some significant demographic differences:
  •  80% of people with college degrees or higher answering the question correctly, compared to 73% of people with some college and 65% of those with a high school degree or less.
  • 77% of urban respondents and 73% of suburban respondents answered the question correctly, compared to 61% of rural respondents.
• The poll found no significant differences by age, income or region of the country.