Politics & Global Warming

A survey of 908 registered U.S. voters reveals broad support for clean energy policies and conservation, though global warming remains a lower priority for voters compared to the economy. While 58% prefer candidates who support climate action, significant political polarization exists regarding the urgency of the issue and the role of the federal government. Trust in information sources is highest for NASA and climate scientists, while blame for global warming is primarily directed at developing countries and fossil fuel companies.

• Global warming is a relatively low priority for registered voters when deciding on candidates for the 2022 congressional elections, ranking 24th among 29 issues based on those who consider it 'very important'. Only 4% of registered voters identify it as their single most important voting issue, whereas 14% prioritize 'the economy'.
• There is broad support among registered voters for various clean energy and carbon reduction policies, including tax incentives for energy-efficient buildings (87%), renewable energy research (79%), and tax rebates for energy-efficient vehicles or solar panels (77%).
• A majority of registered voters (69%) support transitioning the U.S. economy from fossil fuels to 100% clean energy by 2050, and 63% support requiring electric utilities to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2035.
• Public support for energy production is split: 81% support renewable energy on public land, while 58% support expanding offshore drilling and 55% support drilling for and mining fossil fuels on public land.
• Voters are divided on the economic impact of clean energy; 52% believe these policies will improve economic growth and create jobs, while 30% believe they will reduce growth and cost jobs. Additionally, 57% think clean energy production will create more good jobs than fossil fuel production.
• There is a strong desire for corporate and industrial accountability, with 68% of registered voters stating that corporations and industry should do more to address global warming.
• Local government priorities are balanced between mitigation and adaptation, with 48% of voters stating both should be prioritized equally. High support exists for local climate-friendly measures such as public transportation (83%) and home energy-efficiency funding (82%).
• Despite willingness to act—such as 53% saying they would sign a petition—actual political engagement over the past year is low. Only 19% have signed a petition, 13% have donated money, and 9% have contacted government officials to urge action on global warming.
• NASA (74%), family and friends (74%), and climate scientists (71%) are the most trusted sources of information. Conversely, only 30% trust Fox News and 24% trust oil and gas companies.
• Voters primarily blame developing countries (68%), fossil fuel companies (66%), and industrialized countries (65%) for global warming. There is widespread dissatisfaction with the U.S. government's response, with only 14% agreeing that it is responding well.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2022). Politics & Global Warming. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2022/07/politics-global-warming-april-2022b.pdf

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Politics & Global Warming. 2022. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2022/07/politics-global-warming-april-2022b.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Politics & Global Warming |date=April 2022 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2022/07/politics-global-warming-april-2022b.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2022politics, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Politics \& Global Warming}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2022}, month = apr, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2022/07/politics-global-warming-april-2022b.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }