This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including new polling on climate attitudes across generations and new polling on Americans’ top issue priorities.

HEADLINES

Marist
Gen Z and Millennials both outpace other generations in their climate concern [Release, Crosstabs]

The Economist/YouGov + Quinnipiac
Climate and the environment continue to rank among Democrats’ very top issue priorities, though “most important issue” questions are heavily influenced by wording and response options [The Economist + YouGov Topline, The Economist + YouGov Crosstabs, Quinnipiac Release] 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Gen Z is grabbing the torch as the “climate generation.” Marist finds that Gen Z Americans rank on par or higher than Millennials in their level of concern about climate change. Gen Z climate activists have certainly made their voices heard on social media, and this polling data indicates that Gen Z is indeed well on track to be the most pro-climate generation ever.
Climate action is non-negotiable for the Democratic base. President Biden’s recent actions on climate change have been widely interpreted as a response to the pressure that he’s feeling from base Democratic constituencies, and recent polls affirm how climate change has become a core priority for Democratic voters. Quinnipiac finds that more than nine in ten Democratic voters say that they’re concerned about climate change, while The Economist and YouGov find that more Democrats name climate change and the environment as their single “most important issue” than any other issue.

GOOD DATA POINTS TO HIGHLIGHT

[Climate Change] 67% of Americans say that they’re concerned about climate change, including 40% who are “very” concerned about the issue [Marist]
[Climate Change] 57% of Americans say that they trust what scientists say when they warn about climate change [Marist]
[Climate Change] 54% of Americans recognize that climate change is caused mostly by human activities [Marist]