executive summary of "energy and climate change policy: a survey among american voters."

8/14/2019 Executive Summary of "Energy And Climate Change Policy: A Survey among American Voters."

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M E M O R A N D U MTO: Interested Parties

FROM: U.S. Climate Task ForceHart Research AssociatesFuture 500

DATE: December 1, 2009

RE: National Poll Findings On Energy And Climate Change Policy

On behalf of the U.S. Climate Task Force and Future 500, Hart Research Associates

conducted a national survey among registered voters on issues related to U.S. energy

and climate change policy. The survey was conducted by telephone from August 24 to31, 2009 among 1,002 registered voters. The margin of error for the overall findings is

3.2 percentage points and is higher for specific subgroups.

Key Findings

Overwhelmingly, voters believe that U.S. energy policy needssignificant reform, and broad support exists for an energy proposalaimed at meaningfully reducing carbon emissions and increasing the

use of renewable and alternative energy sources.

Fully two in three (66%) U.S. voters feel that the countrys energy policymust be modified significantly, including 19% who say a completeoverhaul is needed, and 47% who feel that major reform is needed.Support for significant reform is shared broadly and includes a majority ofvoters in every major demographic audience as well as across partisanand geographic lines.

Strong and broad support exists for policies that focus on reducing carbonemissions associated with climate change and increasing the use ofrenewable energy sources; in fact, 74% of voters overall say that theywould favor a measure with these specific objectives, including fully 49%who say they strongly favor this type of proposal. Importantly, there isrobust consensus on this point with a majority of all key audiencessupporting energy policies that pursue these goals, including strongmajorities of Republicans (59%) and voters who describe themselves asnot having strong feelings about environmental goals or environmentalism(61%).

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Within the Beltway, many are familiar with the debate over specificenergy policy approaches to deal with climate change. However,this dialogue has not reached voters who are neither familiar nor

fluent with the details, or even the basic terms associated with

particular legislative approaches; the dynamics of this legislativediscussion have yet to be defined and played out among the Americanelectorate.

Fewer than one in 10 (9%) voters says that they have heard a lot about aproposal to reduce carbon emissions commonly referred to as cap andtrade, while more than one in three (35%) freely admits that they havenever heard the term before; an additional one in four (26%) says theyhave heard of a cap and trade proposal but know very little about it.

Similarly, awareness of a carbon tax approach to energy policy isextremely thin, with just 8% of voters saying they have heard a lot about

it and 57% saying they either have never heard the term (31%) or knowvery little about it (26%).

When voters are presented with balanced descriptions of both a capand trade approach and a carbon tax approach to energy andclimate change policy, they clearly and consistently prefer a carbon

tax approach. Notably, this preference is broadly shared among adiverse array of audiences and holds up across partisan and geographicdivides.

After being given a fair and accurate explanation of the key elements ofeach proposal, voters express considerably greater support for a carbon

tax approach; in fact, by 20 percentage points (57% favor, 37% oppose)voters say they would support a carbon tax plan. By comparison, initialreaction to a cap and trade plan is much less favorable and garners anevenly divided reaction, with 46% of voters saying they would supportsuch a plan and 46% saying they would oppose it.

When voters are asked to choose between the two approaches, theyprefer a carbon tax approach over a cap and trade approach by a decisive58% to 27% (+31). Importantly, this preference for a carbon taxapproach holds up across the electorate, including among Democrats,independents, and Republicans, voters in every income bracket, voters ineach region of the country, voters who consider themselves strongenvironmentalists as well as those who do not, voters who are mostclosely following this debate, and those who are not yet familiar with it.

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Voters Preference For Carbon Tax ApproachOver Cap And Trade Approach

Favor CarbonTax Approach

Favor Cap AndTrade Approach

Differential(Support For

Carbon TaxApproach)

% % Democrats 66 30 +36

Independents 58 23 +35

Republicans 46 26 +20

Obama voters 67 30 +37

McCain voters 50 29 +21

Northeast 55 30 +25

South 62 21 +41

Midwest 53 33 +20

West 57 29 +28

HH Income: Less than$40K 63 24 +39

HH Income: $40K to$75K 58 29 +29

HH Income: More than$75K 55 27 +28

Strong

environmentalists 68 23 +45Moderateenvironmentalists 62 28 +34

Non-environmentalists 45 30 +15

Most aware of policy

debate 43 11 +32

Moderately aware ofpolicy debate 57 24 +33

Least aware of policydebate 61 32 +28


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Voters preference for a carbon tax approach to energy and climatechange policy is grounded in a range of specific perceived benefits,including the notion that a carbon tax would have a greater positive

impact on the environment, be better for the U.S. economy and for U.S.

taxpayers, and also do more to achieve other important priorities, suchas incentivizing energy-efficient behavior and minimizing newgovernment bureaucracy.

After being presented with balanced arguments in favor of each approachto reduce carbon emissions associated with climate change and enhancingenvironmental protections, voters favor a carbon tax approach by 18points (52% to 34%). Voters who see a carbon tax approach as beingbetter for the environment also are more likely to describe their feelingsas strong than voters who think a cap and trade approach would be betteron this measure. In open-ended comments, voters cite the comparativesimplicity and lack of loopholes in administering a carbon tax policy as key

advantages to making it effective on this front.

Voters also prefer a carbon tax approach in terms of overall impact on theU.S. economy. Again, after being presented with balanced argumentsoutlining the advantages of each approach in terms of its economicimpact, voters prefer a carbon tax by 22 points (53% to 31%).

Other advantages that voters identify as important in their support for acarbon tax approach include the notion that it provides a revenue streamfor tax refunds to offset the overall impact of the tax; that it serves as amore direct and more immediate incentive for businesses and individualconsumers to modify their behavior and become more energy efficient;

that it is simpler, more transparent, and less able to be corrupted byspecial interest exemptions; and that it establishes a preset andpredictable tax that is more stable than the pricing that could result in acommodities market established under a cap and trade system.

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executive summary of "energy and climate change policy: a survey among american voters."

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