California

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including new polling on federal government cuts, a new edition of Colorado College’s long-running “Conservation in the West” survey, and recent polling on extreme weather in California.

California voters blame climate change and corporate greed for the rise in their home insurance costs, and most support legislation that would enable individuals and insurance companies to hold fossil fuel companies responsible for climate-related damages. The majority of voters in the state (57%), including 37% of Republicans, say that the fossil fuel industry is at least “somewhat” responsible for the recent L.A. wildfires. By a two-to-one margin, Californians support legislation that would allow individuals and insurance companies to hold oil and gas companies responsible for climate-related damages. Californians support this proposed legislation (SB 222) by a 60%-30% margin. The idea earns substantial support from all corners of the California electorate, with 78% of Democrats, 49% of independents, and 42% of Republicans in favor of it.

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including new polling on climate impacts, the California wildfires, and disaster preparedness.

Most voters believe that climate change contributed to California’s recent wildfires. Around three in five voters (58%) believe that climate change contributed to California’s recent wildfires. There is also a dramatic partisan split, with more than four in five Democrats (85%) and the majority of independents (54%) saying that climate change played a role in the wildfires while only 36% of Republicans believe so.