Resources

Search below for resources covering the intersection of climate engagement, social science and data analytics.

RESULTS

Research & Articles
10-11-2021

A collection of interviews, articles, short essays and art - a zine made by youth and community organizers in the Greater Southwest.

Environmental Polling Roundup - October 1st, 2021

David Gold, Environmental Polling Consortium
Research & Articles
09-30-2021

This post includes a roundup of climate + environment headlines from this week’s public polls, good data points to highlight, and a full roundup with key takeaways from each poll - including timely new polling on the Build Back Better plan and its climate provisions nationally and in key battlegrounds, as well as new polling about the most trusted messengers on climate change.

HEADLINES

  • Navigator - Three in five Americans support the full $3.5 trillion Build Back Better plan, with or without explicit pay-fors (Report)
  • Sierra Club - Arizona voters widely support the full $3.5 trillion Build Back Better plan and overwhelmingly oppose proposed cuts; majorities believe climate change is already affecting the state and want to see Arizona become a clean energy leader (ReleaseMemoTopline)
  • Climate Power + Data for Progress - Voters in frontline Democratic-held districts widely support the full $3.5 trillion Build Back Better plan (ReleaseAZ-01 ToplineFL-07 ToplineGA-07 ToplineIA-03 ToplineME-02 ToplineMI-08 ToplineNJ-05 ToplineNY-04 Topline)
  • NRDC Action Fund - Climate action is an important motivator for low-propensity Democrats and independents in the 2022 midterm elections (Release)
  • Data for Progress - Majorities continue to support the major climate-related aspects of the Build Back Better plan, with energy efficiency and clean energy provisions especially popular (ReleaseTopline)
  • Data for Progress - Voters nationwide support the Clean Electricity Performance Program to incentivize clean energy goals for utilities; supporters have winning arguments to use against pushback (Release)
  • Morning Consult - Scientists are the most trusted sources of information about climate change across party lines; most Americans believe that climate change is already affecting the environment and weather where they live (ArticleCrosstabs)
  • Yale Program on Climate Change Communication + George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication - Public concern about climate change is rising, and support for federal climate action is rising along with it (Article on climate beliefs and concernsArticle on support for climate action)

Environmental Polling Roundup - September 24th, 2021

David Gold, Environmental Polling Consortium
Research & Articles
09-23-2021

This post includes a roundup of climate + environment headlines from this week’s public polls, good data points to highlight, and a full roundup with key takeaways from each poll - including lots of timely new polling on the Build Back Better plan.

HEADLINES

  • Yahoo + YouGov - Americans support Biden’s “$3.5 trillion infrastructure plan” by double digits, and a plurality support using the budget reconciliation process to overcome a Republican filibuster (ToplineCrosstabs)
  • POLITICO + Morning Consult - Voters widely support tax breaks for renewable energy in the reconciliation bill, even when it’s framed as a Democratic proposal (ToplineCrosstabs)
  • Data for Progress + Invest in America - Voters support the Build Back Better plan by a two-to-one margin after reading an explanation of its components; grid modernization continues to be one of the plan’s most popular provisions (ReleaseTopline)
  • LCV + Climate Power - Majorities of voters across Democratic-held U.S. Senate battleground states (AZ, CO, GA, NH + NV) support the Build Back Better plan after a brief description, and majorities also reject the idea of trimming the bill down; top messages focus on jobs, pollution/health, and lowering utility bills (DeckMemoAZ ToplineCO ToplineGA ToplineNH ToplineNV Topline)
  • Navigator - Climate is rising as a national priority; two in five voters say that weather in their community this summer has been different from past years, and most who have experienced unusual weather cite climate change as the reason (ReleaseDeckTopline)
  • Data for Progress - “Green jobs” are a confusing concept for voters (Memo)
  • Yale Program on Climate Change Communication - Moderates have similar reactions to “climate change” and “extreme weather” as the rationale for emergency preparedness actions and policies, but there are benefits to using “extreme weather” with conservative audiences (Article)

Poll: Voters Strongly Back Climate-related Infrastructure Investments

Hart Research for Earthjustice, Environment America, and LCV
Research & Articles
06-27-2021

Survey data from 19 competitive House districts across the US revealed strong support (59%), across party lines, for the American Jobs Plan. Notably, the provisions that would address the climate crisis garnered even stronger support than the overall infrastructure plan did.

Among the specific provisions designed to address the climate crisis:

  • 82% of voters support investments to rebuild roads and bridges and modernize public transportation to ensure it is cleaner and able to serve more people.
  • 81% of voters support overhauling our country’s drinking water infrastructure.
  • 70% of voters support addressing the challenge of climate change by shifting to greater use of clean energy, reducing carbon pollution from vehicles and industry, and making homes and buildings more energy efficient.
  • 69% of voters support investments in clean energy such as wind and solar power by extending tax credits to spur innovation and manufacturing.
  • 61% of voters support investments in electric vehicles and charging stations to reduce pollution and help more Americans buy clean cars.

 

Research & Articles
06-03-2021

Key findings of a survey (phone and online) of US voters, with oversamples in key states include:

  • Voters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support government investments in clean energy technologies in order to rebuild the economy (77%), create good jobs (76%), and eliminate the carbon emissions that cause climate change (75%). 
  • There's a widespread belief (75%) that investing in clean energy technologies will have economic benefits – including for "regular people." 
  • And also that by developing new clean technologies, we can replace many of the manufacturing and other blue-collar jobs that the country has lost over the last few decades (72%)
  • Strong support for various approaches to boost and develop specific clean energy technologies such as clean steel and cement, clean jet fuels, and energy storage and transmission.
  • Voters support investing $75 billion in clean energy tech RD&D as part of the upcoming infrastructure bill.         

How does the American public perceive climate disasters?

Lauren Kim, Jennifer Marlon, Matthew Ballew, and Karine Lacroix (Yale Program on Climate Change Communication)
Research & Articles
08-23-2020

Different parts of the country see various kinds of extreme weather as most concerning, perceptions which are largely in line with actual major disasters that have occurred in those regions. This report provides concern profiles for the 18 largest states, drawing on survey data from 2018 and 2019. Over half of Americans see such extreme weather events posting a high or moderate risk to their community in the coming decade, and two thirds see a climate link to US weather (though only a third think climate affects our weather "a lot").

Poll: Public backs strong limits on methane pollution

ALG Research for Natural Resources Defense Council
Research & Articles
08-18-2020

Americans overwhelmingly support updating and strengthening the methane standards and regulations. Even after being shown balanced pro and con messaging, people support touger methane regulations by a nearly 5:1 margin. Curtailing leaks and releases of methane has broad support across all major demographics, including 2-to-1 support among Republicans.

Poll: Arizonans are growing more concerned about climate change

Arizona State University, Morrison Institute for Public Policy
Research & Articles
05-14-2020

  • Arizona voters are as interested or more interested in and concerned about the environment in 2020 as they were in 2017 -- including attitudes toward and opinions about wildlife, land use, rivers and streams, global warming, preservation of water, air and water quality, and government spending on and attention to the environment.
  • Voters use print newspapers and television less and less as their primary sources for information about the environment. Electronic sources and social media are more and more critical to information distribution, a pattern that has been apparent for nearly two decades. Further, this pattern is persistent among 18- to 64year-olds, with many of those 65 and older still relying on television and, to a lesser degree, newspapers, although they also tap into online sources.
  • Water pollution ranks as Arizonans’ top environmental concern; 61% of voters surveyed said they are “very concerned” about pollution in the state’s rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
  • When respondents were given the choice between protecting the natural environment and economic growth, 64% said they believe “protecting the environment should be given priority, even at the risk of slowing economic growth.”
  • The climate change debate in Arizona largely remains a partisan one: 77% of Democrats and 58% of Independents “strongly agree” the federal government needs to do more to combat climate change, vs just 19% of Republicans “strongly agree” with that statement.

Solar with Justice

Clean Energy States Alliance et. al.
Research & Articles
12-18-2019

Under-resourced communities face a disproportionate share of societal burdens and lack access to many of the benefits other communities enjoy. Participation in the solar economy can help ease these burdens and provide low-and middle-income households with economic relief.