One year later: Is climate science more convincing?

October 21, 2015 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Climate change is a reality and more people believe it now than just six months ago. That is according to an energy poll from the University of Texas at Austin.

Credit: Wavebreakmedia Ltd

According to the biannual nationwide survey, now in its fifth year, more than three-fourths of Americans (76 percent) now believe that climate change is occurring -- up from 68 percent just one year ago. Further, 90 percent of Democrats say climate change is occurring, compared with 59 percent of Republicans -- up from 47 percent six months ago. A large portion of Republicans are undecided when it comes to climate science: 29 percent say it is not occurring, leaving 12 percent up in the air, while only 3 percent of Democrats say the same.

The survey also reveals growing support for environmental protection in several areas, especially among Democrats and millennials.

"Political ideology continues to be the single greatest determinant of Americans' views on climate change," said UT Energy Poll Director Sheril Kirshenbaum. "Party affiliation also colors perceptions of other controversial energy topics, including efforts to reduce coal-fired power and levy a tax on carbon."

Energy as it relates to climate change is an important issue in the upcoming presidential election. For example, 52 percent of survey respondents said they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports reducing coal as an energy source -- up from 43 percent in March -- while 62 percent of Democrats support the policy, compared with 40 percent of Republicans; 65 percent of respondents age 35 and younger support reducing coal use, compared with 42 percent age 65 and older.

In terms of the imposition of a carbon tax, 37 percent of survey respondents said they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports it --up from 28 percent six months ago. At the same time, 50 percent of Democrats support a tax on carbon, compared with 26 percent of Republicans; 54 percent of millennials support a carbon tax, compared with 27 percent of Americans age 65 or older.

Throwing utilities into the mix, 62 percent of the people surveyed said they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports requiring utilities to obtain a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable sources -- up from 54 percent six months ago. Nearly three-fourths of Democrats (74 percent) support such a requirement, compared with 50 percent of Republicans.

For more:
- see the report

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