AmericanClimateMetricsSurvey2018GuidancefortheClimateMovement

ALookInside

• ExpandedclimateadvocacymustcenteronPeopleofColorandMillennials• Supportforclimatesolutionsisvast,butpersonalbenefitsmustbemadeknown• Americansneedtoknowthey’renotaloneintheirconcernforclimatechange

AmericanClimateMetricsSurvey2018

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThisresearchandreportarebroughttoyoubyecoAmerica,with financialsupport fromthe JohnD.andCatherineT.MacArthurFoundation.

ecoAmerica builds institutional leadership, public support, and politicalwill for climate solutions in theUnitedStates.Wehelpnationalmainstreamorganizationselevatetheirclimateleadership,providingthemstrategy,tools,andresources.AuthorsMeighenSpeiserNatalieKobayashiCelindaLakeJonathanVoss

MethodologyecoAmericaandLakeResearchPartnersdesignedandadministeredthissurvey,whichwasconductedonlineSeptember14-18th,2018.Thesurveyyieldedatotalof800adultresponses.Thesamplewasdrawnfromanonlinepanelandtherespondentswerescreenedtoensurethattheywereovertheageof18.Thenationalsamplewasweightedslightlybyregion,age,race,andeducation.Themarginoferrorforthesampleis+/-3.5%.Ininterpretingthesurveyresults,itisimportanttonotethatallsamplesurveysaresubjecttopossiblesamplingerror.Thus,theresultsofasurveymaydifferfromtheresultsthatwouldbeobtainediftheentirepopulation was interviewed. The size of the sampling error depends upon both the total number ofrespondents inthesurveyandthepercentagedistributionof theresponses toaparticularquestion.Forexample,if50%oftherespondentsinasampleof802respondentsanswered,“Yes”toaparticularquestion,wecanbe95%confidentthatthetruepercentagewouldfallwithin3.5points,orrangefrom46.5%to53.5%.

SuggestedCitationSpeiser,M.,Kobayashi,N.,Lake,C.,andVoss,J.(2019).AmericanClimateMetricsSurvey2018:GuidancefortheClimateMovement.ecoAmericaandLakeResearchPartners.Washington,DC.

©2019ecoAmerica.ThecontentsofthisreportmaybesharedandusedunderaCreativeCommonsAttributionNonCommercialNoDerivatives4.0InternationalLicense.

Formoreinformationcontactusatresearch@ecoAmerica.orgSubscribetoreceiveecoAmerica’sresearchinyourinbox

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CONTENTS

ExecutiveSummary 4

ClimateConsensus:CommonGroundtoBroadenClimateAction 6

ConsensusFindings 6

OurClimateisChanging,CausingMoreSevereWeather 7

CleanAir,WaterandEnergyarePersonalRightsforAll 7

WeCanReducePollution,NeedtoBeginNow,andFeel 7 MoralResponsibilitytodoso

AmericansWantTheirCommunitiestoPrepare 8

ThereisMajoritySupportforaVastArrayofClimateSolutions 8

RenewableEnergyisaWin-Win-Win 8

OurBestOpportunitiesforMovingClimateActionForward 9

BroadeningtheClimateMovement 9

FuelingCatalyticClimateAdvocacy 10

EmpowerTrustedMessengers,GivePermissionforConcern, 10andFocusonBenefits

Note:SurveydatacanbefoundbyPoliticalPartyandTimeseriesatecoAmerica.org/research

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EXECUTIVESUMMARY

ecoAmerica’sAmericanClimateMetricsSurvey(ACMS)goesbeyondtrackingAmericanclimateawareness, attitudes, and behaviors to provide quantitative insights to guide the climatemovementonhowtoconnectwithabroaderdiversityofAmericansandstimulateorsupportpublicengagementandpoliticalwillforclimateaction.

Therearemanypointsofconsensus(seepage6)onclimate.Today, 80% of Americans say that climate change ishappening (page 7) and just 9% say climate change is nothappening(downfrom13%in2015).77%sayhumanshavea role in causing climate change. Further, a majority ofAmericans(73%)arepersonallyconcernedaboutclimatechange,including40%whoareveryconcerned,howeveronly 57% believe others around them are concerned(page11).

Thissurveyuncoverswhatliesunderneathbasicclimateattitudes,includinghowAmericansfeelagency(83%),urgency(80%)andamoralresponsibility(88%)tocreateasafeandhealthyclimatefortheirfamiliesandfuturegenerations(page7).IthighlightsthatAmericanshavestrongsupportforawidevarietyofsolutions(page8)fromlocalpreparednesstomodernizingthegrid,laws forefficientbuildingsandcars, charging corporatepollutersa fee, tax incentives for cleanenergyandvehicles,andmore.

74%67% 73%

66%

76%

62%

49%

58% 62%

51%

55% 64%

63%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

%ofAmericanspersonallyconcernedaboutclimatechangeorglobalwarming

SaintLeoUniversity ecoAmericaQuinnipiacUniversity Yale&GeorgeMasonGallup

ConcernedAboutClimate90%ofDemocrats,66%of

Independents,54%ofRepublicans

85%ofLatinos,80%ofAfricanAmericans,67%ofwhiteAmericans

81%ofMillennials,72%ofover65

77%ofwomen,68%ofmen

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Americansarebecomingcomfortablewithmovingawayfromoilandcoal,with61%ofAmericanswouldliketheU.S.toproducelesscoal,upfrom54%in2017.A48%pluralitysayweshouldproducelessoil(39%saymore),areversalfromlastyearwhen47%saidproducemore,42%saidless.60%ofAmericanswanttheU.S.toproducemorenaturalgas,comparedto28%whosayless.52%ofAmericanswantlessnuclearproduction,with33%saying‘muchless’.Americanareinconsensus(89%)thattheU.S.shouldproducemorecleanenergy.87%believeeveryonehastherighttocleanenergy(page8).

Enclosedinthisreportarerecommendationsfortheclimatemovement–ourbestopportunitiesformovingclimateactionandsolutionsforward.

TheresultsshowthatAfricanAmericans,Latinx,Millennials,andwomenunder50arereadyfor greater influence and support in the climatemovement (page 9). These groupspossess thestrongestclimatevalues,aremotivatedtoengage,andneedmovementcapacityandinclusiontocentertheminclimatediscussion,action,andsolutions.

Rather than educate or convinceAmericans abut climate change, the climatemovementnowneedstofuelcatalyticclimateadvocacy,expandingnotonlywhotheyengageontheissue,butalsothemethodstheyemploytodoso.With63%ofAmericanswillingtocontactorvote foraclimatecandidate,andamajority(70%)sayingcandidatesrunningforofficein2018werenotfocusingenoughonclimatechange, itisclearthatclimatewillbeadefiningissueofupcomingelections, and thatmoreAmericansareready toengage (page10).Theyneed tobe invitedandsupportedinpersonallyrelevantways.

Tobroadenclimateconstituency,themovementneedstoempowertrustedmessengers(page11)tobringpersonalizedmessagestotheircommunities,suchashealthprofessionals(62%)andprofessors and educators (55%). They need to give permission to Americans to feelconcernedaboutclimate(page11),focustheirmessageonsolutions,andalwaystiesolutionstopersonalhealth,wealthandwellbeingbenefits.

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Windandsolar

Solar Wind NaturalGas

Oil Offshoredrilling

Nuclear Fracking Coal

%ofAmericansthatsupportorbelieveweshouldproducemore…

Gallup(2015) ecoAmerica(2016)ecoAmerica(2017) Pew(2017)ecoAmerica(2018) UniversityofMichigan(2018)Pew(2018)

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CLIMATECONSENSUS

91% Believecleanairandwaterarecriticalrightsforallpeople

89% TheUnitedStatesshouldproducemorewindandsolarenergythanitistoday

88% We have amoral responsibility to create a safe and healthy climate forourselvesandourchildren

87% Everyonehasarighttocleanenergythatdoesnotpollutetheairorwater

87% FavoraproposaltoreduceclimatechangepollutionbymodernizingAmerica’selectricgrid

85% Communitiesneedtoprepareforfloodsanddroughtstominimizetheirimpact

83% Wecanreducethepollutionthatiscausingclimatechange

83% Favor a proposal to reduce climate change pollution by charging corporatepollutersafeeforthepollutiontheycreate

81% Favoraproposal toreduceclimatechangepollutionbypassing lawsformoreefficientbuildingsandcars

81% Havenoticedmore severeweather and changing seasonalweather patternswheretheyliveoverthelastseveralyears

80%Weneedtotakeactionnowtoreducethepollutionthatiscausingclimatechange

80% Favoraproposaltoreduceclimatechangepollutionbyexpandingpublictransitlikebusesandtrains

80% Climatechangeishappening

79% Favoraproposaltoreduceclimatechangepollutionbyprovidingcorporatetaxcreditstoexpandcleanenergy

78%Iamhopefulwecanreducethepollutionthatiscausingclimatechange

78% Climatechangewillharmfuturegenerationsofpeople

77% Climatechangewillharmplantandanimalspecies

77% Trustscientistsasasourceofinformationaboutclimatechange

77% Climatechangeiscausedpartiallyorprimarilybyhumans

76%Wanttheircityortowntopreparefortheimpactsofclimatechange

76% Favoraproposal toreduceclimatechangepollutionbyprovidingpersonaltaxcreditsforelectricorhybridcars

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CLIMATECONSENSUS:CommonGroundtoBroadenClimateAction

While the general assumption is to the contrary, ecoAmerica found over twenty climateperspectivesonwhichastrongmajorityofAmericans(over75%)agree.Focusingonthesethemesofferpromisingstartingpointsforclimatecommunications,movementbuilding,andprogramorpolicydesign.

OurClimateIsChanging,CausingMoreSevereWeatherThreeinfiveAmericans(60%)believetheeffectsofclimatechangehavealreadybeguntohappen,andanother16%believetheeffectswillhappen intheirlifetime.Nowastrongmajority,81%ofAmericans say theyhavenoticedmore severeweatherpatternswhere they live over the lastseveralyears,upfrom71%in2015.90%ofthosewhohavenoticedmoresevereweatheralsobelieveclimatechangeishappening.Overthreequarters(77%)ofthepublicagreethathumansareatleastpartiallytoblameforclimatechange,withamajority(53%)sayingitisduetoacombinationofbothhumanactivitiesandnaturalcausesand23%understandingitismainlyduetohumans.OnwhereAmericansbelievetheharmwillbedistributed,theysayfuturegenerations(78%),plantandanimalspecies(77%),people in theU.S. (71%), theworld’spoor(71%), their community (61%),family(56%),andtheypersonally(53%)willbearthebruntofit,respectively.

CleanAir,WaterandEnergyarePersonalRightsforAllVastmajoritiesofAmericansbelievethatcleanairandwater(91%),andenergy(87%)thatdoesnotpollutetheairorwaterarecriticalpersonalrightsforusall.WhenAmericansviewissuesaspersonalrights,itisinourculturalDNAtobemorelikelytoprotectagainstthreatsthatmayinfringeonorimpingetheserights.

WeCanReducePollution,NeedtoBeginNow,andFeelMoralResponsibilitytodosoToday,78%ofAmericansarehopefulthatwecanreducethepollutionthatiscausingclimatechange,including52%whostronglyagree.Avastmajority(83%)believewehaveagency, thatwecanreducethepollutionthatiscausingourclimatetochange.Fourinfive(80%)Americansagreethatweneedtotakeactionnowtoreducethepollutionthatiscausingclimatechange,including62%whostronglyagree(upfrom55%stronglyagreein2015).Theyalsoviewclimateactionthroughanethicallens–88%believewehaveamoralresponsibilitytocreateasafeandhealthyclimateforourselvesandourchildren,including71%whostronglyagree.

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Theseresultsshowitistimefortheclimatemovementtotransitionbeyondprovingclimatechange exists, and focus resources on creating a broader and more inclusive advocacymovementthatcompelspolicymakersandbusinessleaderstobringforthjust,equitableandeffective solutions, now.Americans are ready to get going and “get ‘er done” as long as thesolutionsandbenefitsareequitable.Thegoodnewsisthattheysupportawidevarietyofsolutions.

AmericansWantTheirCommunitiestoPrepareProtecting cities and towns from climate impacts has strong bipartisan support.Fully 85% ofAmericans believe communities need to prepare for floods and droughts tominimize theirimpact,including60%whostronglyagree.FewAmericans(20%)saytheirtownorcityiscurrentlydoingsomethingtoprepareforimpacts,whilemorethanthree-quarters(76%)wanttheircitiesor towns to prepare, including a majority across party lines (90% of Democrats, 76% ofIndependents,and60%ofRepublicans).

ThereisMajoritySupportforaVastArrayofClimateSolutions

AsthemostrecentIPCCreportreinforced,thereislittletimetoactonclimate.Thegoodnewsisthat Americans are ready. The federal government’s abdication of responsibility for climatesolutionsdirectlycontradictsthewilloftheAmericanpeople,whosupportawidearrayofpublicpolicysolutionstoclimatechange.Today,an87%majorityfavorsaproposaltoreduceclimatechangebymodernizingAmerica’selectricpowergrid(upfrom83%lastyear),including54%whostrongly favor.Additionally,83%favorcharginglargecompaniesa fee forthepollutiontheycreate,including57%whostronglyfavorit.81%ofAmericansfavorlawsformoreefficientbuildingsandcarsand80%favorexpandingpublictransit.Highmajoritiesalsofavorcorporatetax credits (79%) to expand clean energy andpersonal tax credits (76%) forhybridandelectriccars.

RenewableEnergyisaWin-Win-WinHighmajoritiesofAmericanswanttheUnitedStatestoproduce more renewable energy – 89%wantmorewind and solar energy production, including 69%whowantmuchmore.Strongsupport forwindandsolarexistsacrossalldemographicandpartylines(91%ofDemocrats,86%ofIndependents,and87%ofRepublicans agree). Conversely, Americanswant theU.S.toproducelessenergyfromcoal(61%,upfrom54%lastyear)andlessoil(48%wantless,39%wantmore). Republicans over 50 and those who don’tbelieve climate change is happening are the onlysubgroups who are more likely to say we shouldproducemorecoalcomparedtolastyear(48%and55%agree,respectively),howeverthesegroupsrepresentasmallminoritycomparedtothetotalAmericanpopulation.

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OURBESTOPPORTUNITIESFORMOVINGCLIMATEACTIONFORWARD

ExpandtheClimateMovementtobeMoreInclusive,JustandEquitable.SupportandAffirmClimateLeadershipfromDiverseClimateLeaders,LocallyandNationally.Millennials, women under 50, African Americans, andLatinxspossessclimatevaluesthatalignwithclimateadvocacy,however their presence is greatly underrepresented in themovement.Effortstoaffirmandsupporttheirleadershipmustbeprioritized,includingcenteringtheminthedevelopmentofand outreach on solutions and action. People of color inparticular, including African Americans, Latinx, and AsianAmericans understand that climate change is happening(88% vs. the four in five nationally who agree), and areconcerned (page 4). These Americans understand that theirfamilieswillbeharmed(68%Millennials,69%womenunder50, 65% African Americans, and 65% Latinxs, vs. 56%nationally).Theyarealsothemostlikelygroupstoagreethatthegovernmenthasaroletoplayinprotectingusagainstclimateimpacts(80%,82%,85%,and81% agree, respectively, vs. 74% nationally).Whilemost Americans support climate solutions,thesegroupsdosoatamuchhigherrate.Forinstance,highmajoritiesfavoraproposaltochargecorporatepollutersafeeforthepollutiontheycreate,including87%ofLatinx,86%ofwomenunder50,and84%ofAfricanAmericansvs.83%ofnational.MillennialsstandoutfortheirshiftsinbelievingtheU.S.shouldproducelessoil(57%,upfrom40%in2017)andcoal(63%,upfrom50%in2017),asdoIndependents.

Shifts in wanting the U.S. to produce less oil: 66% of adults under 30, up from 40% in 2017 57% of Millennials, up from 40% in 2017 54% of Independents, up from 36% in 2017

Shifts in wanting the U.S. to produce less coal: 70% of Independents, up from 47% in 2017 63% of Millennials, up from 50% in 2017 61% of rural adults, up from 53% in 2017 60% of white women, up from 49% in 2017

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FuelCatalyticClimateAdvocacyAmajorityofAmericansarereadytoactonclimate,anditistimetohelpthemdoso.Notonlydo they supportabreadthof solutions (seepage8), and feel theurgency to actnow to reducepollution(72%),butalso63%arewillingtocontactorvoteforaclimatecandidate.Amajority70%saycandidatesrunningforofficein2018werenotfocusingenoughonclimatechange.NearlythreequartersofAmericans(72%)believethattheyneedtotakepersonalactionnowtoreducepollutionthatiscausingclimatechange,including43%whostronglyagree.

willing tocontactorvoteforaclimatecandidate

saycandidatesrunningforoffice were not focusingenoughonclimatechange

believetheyneedtotakepersonal action now toreduceclimatepollution

ManyAmericansbelieve it is important topersonallyspeakouttotheir family(59%),electedofficials(55%),andtheirfriends(54%)onclimateissues.Otherssaidtheyhadnotyettakentheseactions,butwouldbewilling todoso, including42%whowould contactorvote foranelectedofficialbasedonhisorhersupportfortakingactiononclimate,and26%whowouldbewillingtodiscussclimatechangewithfamilyorfriends.

Yet,somanyAmericansstillneedtobeinvitedtoengageon climate, and supported with a path to advocacy.Although half of Americans feel empowered to advanceclimate solutions among family and friends (52%) and athird (34%) feel empowered nationally, 53% do not feelempowered to do so in their community, at a national level(58% not empowered), nor with their employer (57% notempowered).Republicans(63%)norIndependents(68%)feelempoweredtoadvocatenationally.Whilesomeoftheseresultsseemlackluster,onemustimaginehow fast climate solutions would progress if over half ofAmerica were advocating. The climate movement needs toinvite a broader swath of Americans to engage, and offertraining with ways to advocate that are accessible tonewcomersuncomfortablewithactivism.

EmpowerTrustedMessengers,GivePermissionforConcern,andFocusonBenefits

Americansseekguidanceonclimatechange fromavarietyofpeople.They trust scientists(74%),environmentalorganizations(63%),healthprofessionals(62%),cleanenergycompanies(57%),andcollegesanduniversities(55%)most.Outofthese“messengers,”healthprofessionalsand professors and educators seem ripe to bolster. Americans report hearing about climatechange from the news and media (60%) and family and friends (27%), but only 23% from

63% 70% 72%

Americansfeelempoweredtoadvocateonclimate:

52%amongfriendsandfamily34%nationallyDonotfeelempoweredtoadvocateonclimate:

58%nationally57%withtheiremployer53%intheircommunities68%ofIndependentsnationally63%ofRepublicansnationally

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professorsandeducators,only19% fromhealthprofessionals.The climatemovementneeds tobuild capacity toeducateand trainhealthprofessionalsandeducatorsonhow toharness theirinfluenceonclimate.Located innearlyeverycommunitynationwide, theycanreachpeopleandfamilies,acrosssocio-economicstatus,andhelpmaketheissuepersonal.Hearingfromsomeonewith local ties,whounderstands the local impacts, solutions and culture, is vital for increasingpublicengagementonclimatesolutions.Americans need to know they are not alone in their climate concern. Although 73% ofAmericansareconcernedaboutclimatechange,only57%believethatothersaroundthemfeelconcerned.Inordertotrulyopendoorsforengagementonclimatechange,theclimatemovementneeds to letAmericansknow that concern iswidespread, givepermission tohave concern, andmakeitmoresociallyacceptableshowit.

ClimateimpactsarehappeninginAmericans’backyards,impactingthemandthosetheycareabout.Theyarebeginningtoseethiswiththeirowneyes.Majoritiesbelieveclimatechangewillharmthemlocally,includingpeopleintheUnitedStates(71%),thoseintheircommunity(61%),theirfamily(56%),andthemselvespersonally(53%).AsolidmajorityofAmericansbelieveclimatechangewillharmfuturegenerationsofpeople(78%,54%agreatdeal),plantandanimalspecies(77%,52%agreatdeal),andtheworld’spoor(71%,48%agreatdeal).Awarenessisstrong,whichiswhy theclimatemovement shouldspend less timebearing thebadnews,andmore timesharingthegoodnews.ItistherightofeveryoneAmericantoliveinanationfreefromclimatepollution,changeandimpacts.Majoritiesbelievecleanairandwater,andcleanenergyarepersonalrights–and it isimperativethattheclimatemovementtieclimateactiontothesefactors.Itistimetogetpastcostandsacrifice,towardpromotingsolutions,investmentandpersonalbenefits.Asestablished,Americanssupportawidearrayofclimatesolutions.Andwhiletheyarebeginningtoseethebenefitsofclimatesolutionsforhealth(66%),theeconomy(61%)andjobs(56%),somearestill influencedbyoppositionalmessagingoncostandtradeoff.Currently,39%ofAmericansagreethat“wecouldaddressclimatechange,butthecostsandsacrificesaretoohigh,”whileonly52%disagrees.Thisisapositiveshiftfrom2017,when43%ofAmericansagreedthat the “costs and sacrifices are too high” and only 47% disagreed. A decreasing number ofRepublicansperceivethecostandsacrificeframing,now43%believethis,downfrom53%in2017.However,41%of Independentsand34%ofDemocratsstillbelievethecostandsacrifice frame.And,whilethefollowingstatementpromotesafalsechoice(andshouldberemovedfromsurveysgoingforwardaccordingly),Americansaresplitonwhether“itismoreimportantthatweprioritizeeconomicgrowthovertakingactiononclimatechange”,with44%agreeingand46%disagreeing.The climate movement must focus messaging on solutions, and whenever doing so tiesolutions to personal health, wealth and wellbeing. And, “cost” must be reframed asinvestment.After all, didn’t it cost to build the national highway system, and, wouldn’t everyAmericanagreeitwasaneededinvestment?

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