American Voters Support Climate Action

A 2019 survey of 2,208 registered U.S. voters reveals broad support for government action on climate change, with 70% of respondents favoring such measures. A majority of voters support a national renewable portfolio standard requiring 100% renewable electricity by 2050 and prioritize infrastructure resilience against extreme weather. The data indicates that climate change is a top-tier issue for Democratic voters and that a majority believe transitioning away from fossil fuels will positively impact the economy and jobs.

• A significant majority of American voters support government intervention to address climate change, with 70% supporting action overall. This desire for action extends across different levels of government, with 71% wanting the federal government, 70% their state government, and 69% their member of Congress to do more.
• Voters generally perceive the transition to clean energy as an economic benefit. 67% believe government action will positively affect jobs and the economy by encouraging innovation and a shift away from fossil fuels, while only 33% believe this transition will have a negative economic impact.
• There is strong support for a national renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2050, backed by 71% of voters. Additionally, 49% of voters approve of using federal tax dollars to fund this transition.
• Public opinion favors prioritizing climate-resilient infrastructure. 76% of voters believe it is important to invest in infrastructure that can withstand climate effects, and 75% support requiring new projects to be built for extreme weather even if it increases costs to taxpayers.
• Climate change is a primary concern for a large portion of the electorate, with 69% of voters reporting they are worried about it. It is particularly central for Democratic voters, who rank it as the second most important issue (28%) when deciding on a 2020 presidential candidate, following health care.

APA

Center for Climate Change Communication (2019). American Voters Support Climate Action. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/American-Voters-Support-Climate-Action.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Change Communication. American Voters Support Climate Action. 2019. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/American-Voters-Support-Climate-Action.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Change Communication |title=American Voters Support Climate Action |date=2019 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/American-Voters-Support-Climate-Action.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimatechangecommunication2019american, author = {{Center for Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{American Voters Support Climate Action}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2019}, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/American-Voters-Support-Climate-Action.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }