Climate policies that resonate with Americans 

 In blog

The threat of climate change is palpable, and more and more people around the world are staging protests over the last few weeks—with the youth becoming a significant voice among the global movement. Here in the U.S., the Getty Fire is forcing thousands of California residents to evacuate. The state has seen a fivefold increase in burned areas since 1972. It is no wonder that a recent poll has found there’s bipartisan support from a large majority of Americans who “strongly favor cleaner sources of energy over fossil fuels.”

Furthermore, another new poll found that “most registered voters are in favor of spending trillions on weatherized buildings and renewable-energy infrastructure,” according to The Atlantic. This growing consensus is amplified by stronger support across industries and more decisive political will that propelled climate change into a national discussion that we can no longer act on, much less ignore. 

Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash

Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash

The survey was conducted by YouGov Blue and Data for Progress, which cites at least five progressive climate policies are supported by most registered American voters. These include the following:

  • A national recycling program for commodities. A federal program was launched during World War II where citizens are encouraged to save commodities such as steel, paper, and rubber that can be recycled. Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a similar program which would “seek to reduce the cost and blunt the environmental impact of the huge build-out of wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries.” This was overwhelmingly popular with voters across age, races, and religious beliefs, with 64 percent declaring support and only 16 percent opposed.
  • Allocate $1.3 trillion to weatherize every home and office building in the United States. According to The Atlantic, at least three different Democratic climate plans include increased federal spending on weatherizing homes and buildings. The poll showed that six in 10 voters expressed support for weatherizing homes and buildings to “make them more energy-efficient and reduce energy bills.” In addition, a smaller majority of voters older than 65 also support the proposal.
  • Federal funding of $1.5 trillion for a renewable energy build-out. The plan proposes “enough wind, solar, and geothermal energy to power every home and business in the United States by 2030.” Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they would strongly or somewhat support $1.5 trillion in federal spending to build out renewable power.
  • A climate adjustment fee on environmentally destructive imports. A “border carbon adjustment” on imports that require high levels of carbon emissions was proposed by Senator Elizabeth Warren. The policy is said to “encourage American cement- and steelmakers to invest in greener ways to make their products.” Sixty percent of respondents strongly or somewhat supported the idea, while only 23 percent opposed it. Among working-class voters, however, it was one of the most popular proposed. 
  • “Economic Nationalism for Climate Change.” “Economic nationalism” is described as a plan to “aggressively encourage large American manufacturing firms to specialize in solar panels, wind turbines, and other climate-friendly technologies.” The agenda is backed by majority support, with 53 percent overall in support and 30 percent in opposition.