Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Spring 2024

A survey of 896 registered U.S. voters conducted in Spring 2024 reveals that while 62% prefer candidates who support action on global warming, it remains a lower-ranked priority for the 2024 election, with only 39% considering it 'very important'. There is broad cross-partisan support for climate justice initiatives, such as green spaces in low-income communities (86%), and corporate climate disclosure (79%). However, significant political polarization persists regarding the economic impact of clean energy and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, with strong support from Democrats and substantial opposition or skepticism from conservative Republicans. Despite these views, actual political engagement remains low, though a minority of voters express willingness to participate in campaigns or non-violent civil disobedience.

• Global warming is a secondary priority for the 2024 presidential election; 39% of registered voters say it is "very important" to their vote, ranking it 19th out of 28 issues. When asked to choose a single most important issue, only 3% selected global warming, placing it 12th overall.
• There is strong general support for specific climate and energy policies, including a national training program for fossil fuel workers to move into renewables (77%), tax rebates for energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels (77%), and transitioning the U.S. economy to 100% clean energy by 2050 (66%).
• Registered voters show high levels of support for climate justice and corporate transparency. This includes creating more parks and green spaces in low-income communities and communities of color (86%), strengthening industrial pollution limits in those same areas (80%), and requiring publicly traded companies to disclose their carbon pollution (79%).
• The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) has limited name recognition, with 39% of voters having heard "a lot" or "some" about it. However, 74% of voters support the IRA after reading a brief description, though only 45% believe it will help the U.S. economy and jobs.
• Public opinion on the economic impact of clean energy is polarized. While 50% of voters believe clean energy policies will improve economic growth and create jobs, 28% believe they will reduce growth and cost jobs. 61% believe clean energy production will create more new jobs than increasing fossil fuel production.
• There is a significant gap between stated willingness to act and actual behavior. While 54% would sign a petition if asked by someone they respect, only 20% have signed one in the past year. Similarly, 32% would volunteer or donate if asked, but only 7% have volunteered and 16% have donated in the past year.
• Very few registered voters (15%) believe the U.S. government is responding well to global warming, a sentiment shared across all political affiliations.

APA

Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E., Rosenthal, S., Kotcher, J., Goddard, E., Carman, J., Ballew, M., Verner, M., Myers, T., Marlon, J., Lee, S., Goldberg, M., Badullovich, N., & Thier, K. (2024). Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Spring 2024. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024/

Chicago

Leiserowitz, A., E. Maibach, S. Rosenthal, J. Kotcher, E. Goddard, J. Carman, M. Ballew, et al. Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Spring 2024. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2024. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024/.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{leiserowitz2024climate, author = {Leiserowitz, A. and Maibach, E. and Rosenthal, S. and Kotcher, J. and Goddard, E. and Carman, J. and Ballew, M. and Verner, M. and Myers, T. and Marlon, J. and Lee, S. and Goldberg, M. and Badullovich, N. and Thier, K.}, title = {{Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics \& Policy, Spring 2024}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/climate-change-in-the-american-mind-politics-policy-spring-2024/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }