Individual and household economic precarity is increasingly important in the context of the climate crisis. The household finances of low-income and communities of color are already experiencing impacts “first and worst. California created the CalAccount program, a free and accessible public option for basic financial transactions. Key features of the CalAccount program include: accessibility for individuals who may not have government-issued photo identification and individuals who do not have permanent housing; enabling and streamlining remittance of local, state, and federal benefit and public assistance payments; enabling payroll direct deposit; establishing a process and terms and conditions for registered payees; and requiring landlords to allow a tenant to pay rent and security deposits by electronic funds from CalAccount. As a free public option for Californians to access their money, CalAccount would significantly improve the financial resilience of vulnerable households in the context of climate (and other) hazards.

There is substantial differences in climate change awareness, knowledge, and support for government action between genders and across countries and territories with varying income and emission levels. In low income/emission countries and territories, a substantial proportion of men (45%) and women (44%) are Alarmed. This contrasts with high income/emission countries and territories where women (36%) are more Alarmed than men (30%). In high income/emission countries and territories, women (11%) are also much less likely to be Doubtful or Dismissive than men (20%). Self-reported knowledge about climate change differs by gender and even more by income/emission level. In low per-capita income/emission countries and territories, small percentages of men (13%) and women (9%) say they know “a lot” about climate change, and an additional 30% of men and 33% of women say they know “a moderate amount” about it. By contrast, in high per-capita emissions and income countries and territories 22% of men and 16% of women say they know “a lot” about climate change, and an additional 40% of men and 43% of women say they know “a moderate amount” about it. 42% of men and 41% of women in low per-capita income/emission countries and territories say climate change should be a “very high” priority for the government where they live, as do 39% of women in high per-capita income/emission countries and territories. By comparison, fewer men in high income/emission countries and territories think so (34%).

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including new polling on extreme weather, environmental justice, water quality, offshore wind, and proposed measures to protect workers from extreme heat.

Americans’ ratings of their tap water quality have been declining in recent years, and Black and Hispanic Americans in particular have concerns about water quality and safety. Scientists and water utilities are the most trusted communicators about tap water issues. Around seven in ten Americans (72%) say that their tap water is at least “somewhat” safe. Nearly three-quarters of White Americans (74%) rate their tap water as safe, compared to 65% of Black Americans and 63% of Hispanic Americans. Three in five Americans (60%) say that the quality of their tap water is “excellent’ or “good,” compared to 70% in June 2022 and 65% in May 2023. White Americans (62%) are more likely to rate their tap water quality as “excellent” or “good” than Black Americans (56%) or Hispanic Americans (54%). More than three-quarters (77%) support continuing federal assistance to help pay water bills, a seven-point increase since last year (70% in May 2023).

Voters overwhelmingly support proposed new OSHA rules to protect workers from extreme heat. Voters recognize that extreme heat is a hazard for workers. More than four in ten (84%) say that they are concerned about workers facing extreme heat while at the workplace, including 42% who are “very concerned” about it. Concern intensifies when voters learn about the lack of safeguards to protect workers from extreme heat. After reading that “employers are not currently obligated to provide workers with protections against extreme heat, like breaks to cool off or drink water,” nearly nine in ten (88%) say that they are concerned about workers facing extreme heat and most (53%) are “very concerned” about it. Despite the deep partisan polarization that we commonly see in polls about government regulations, voters across party lines are closely aligned on this topic: 96% of Democrats, 86% of independents, and 86% of Republicans say that they support these proposed new OSHA rules.

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including lots of new polling and research on extreme heat, polling on climate change and clean energy as issues in the 2024 election, and new polling on the American Climate Corps.

It is critical that folks dedicated to protecting our children’s chance at a future continue to engage in solution-making processes, in local, national, and international governance systems and institutions that impact climate outcomes. We have been able successfully to kick open the doors to the highest levels of government, to force conversation on Dakota Access Pipeline, on Line 3 Pipeline, while simultaneously laying strong foundations and relationships for people’s movement building. Project-level fights oftentimes still result in industry wins, yet the social license of both industry and government alike continues to shrink under a wave of civil unrest. While the individual losses hurt, the collective movement and the desire to look to frameworks outside of extraction, outside of individualism, keeps growing. And in so much of Westernized movement spaces, most energy is poured into advocacy streams with little to no risk, streams that largely preserve the systems of individualism that must be undone for a habitable world to exist.

Most Americans agree that “environmental injustice” is a problem in the U.S. Americans are relatively more likely to recognize disparities by income than by race, and few know of government efforts related to environmental justice. 70% of Americans support the goals of environmental justice after reading a brief explanation of the concept. 62% of Americans recognize that environmental injustice is a problem in the United States. Around three in five Americans (62%) believe that “environmental injustice” is a problem in the country, including particularly high percentages of Black Americans (70%), Hispanic Americans (68%), and Asian Americans (67%). When asked directly about the experiences of different groups, most Americans (61%) say that low-income communities are more exposed to environmental hazards than wealthy communities. Meanwhile, 44% say that communities of color are more exposed to environmental hazards than White communities.

The Climate Change Empowerment Handbook emphasizes psychological strategies to address climate change.

The "Taking Action & Self Care Worksheets" by ClimateMentalHealth.Net provide tools to help individuals determine their climate action through a personalized Venn diagram.