The Political Benefits to Taking a Pro-Climate Stand in 2013

The report finds that a majority of US registered voters (58%) consider a candidate's position on global warming when voting. Support for climate action and renewable energy is high across party lines, with Independents closely resembling Democrats in their views. While carbon tax support depends on how revenue is used, there is broad support for regulating carbon dioxide and increasing renewable energy research.

• A majority of registered voters (58%) state that they will consider a candidate's position on global warming when deciding how to vote. Among these 'issue voters', 83% believe global warming is happening and 65% believe it is caused by human activity.
• Concern about global warming is high across political affiliations. Majorities of Democrats (73%) and Independents (63%) are worried about global warming, and nearly half of Republicans (46%) believe it will harm future generations of people, plants, and animals.
• There is broad cross-party support for renewable energy and the reduction of fossil fuel use. Majorities of all three political groups support eliminating federal subsidies for the fossil fuel industry and funding more research into renewable energy sources.
• Voters generally support regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant, though support for a carbon tax is contingent on the use of the revenue. Support is highest when funds are used to create American jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency or to decrease pollution.
• Independents' attitudes toward global warming and energy policy closely align with those of Democrats, presenting an opportunity for political leaders to connect with this group.
• There is a growing demand for the US government to take more action on climate change. Majorities of Democrats and Independents, and an increasing number of Republicans, believe Congress and President Obama should do more to address global warming.

APA

Vraga, E., Roser-Renouf, C., Leiserowitz, A., & Maibach, E. (2013). The Political Benefits to Taking a Pro-Climate Stand in 2013. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/September-2012-The-Political-Benefits-of-Taking-a-Pro-Climate-Stand-in-2013.pdf

Chicago

Vraga, Emily, Connie Roser-Renouf, Anthony Leiserowitz, and Edward Maibach. The Political Benefits to Taking a Pro-Climate Stand in 2013. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2013. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/September-2012-The-Political-Benefits-of-Taking-a-Pro-Climate-Stand-in-2013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Vraga |first1=Emily |last2=Roser-Renouf |first2=Connie |last3=Leiserowitz |first3=Anthony |last4=Maibach |first4=Edward |title=The Political Benefits to Taking a Pro-Climate Stand in 2013 |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=2013 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/September-2012-The-Political-Benefits-of-Taking-a-Pro-Climate-Stand-in-2013.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vraga2013political, author = {Vraga, Emily and Roser-Renouf, Connie and Leiserowitz, Anthony and Maibach, Edward}, title = {{The Political Benefits to Taking a Pro-Climate Stand in 2013}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2013}, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/September-2012-The-Political-Benefits-of-Taking-a-Pro-Climate-Stand-in-2013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }