For example:
• Two in three registered voters (66%) think global warming is happening. Large majorities of Democrats
(88%) – liberal (93%) and moderate/conservative (84%) – think it is happening, as do over half of
Independents (59%) and liberal and moderate Republicans (61%). By contrast, only 28% of conservative
Republicans think global warming is happening.
• Just over half of registered voters (51%) think that global warming is caused mostly by human activities.
A large majority of Democrats (69%, and 75% of liberal Democrats) and nearly half (47%) of liberal and
moderate Republicans, but only 22% of conservative Republicans think global warming is mostly
human-caused.
• Over half (56%) of registered voters say they are worried about global warming. Liberal Democrats are
the most worried (84%), followed by moderate/conservative Democrats (77%). Half of
liberal/moderate Republicans (51%) are worried about global warming and are more than twice as likely
to be worried than conservative Republicans (19%).
• Americans are more than two times more likely to vote for a congressional or presidential candidate who
strongly supports action to reduce global warming. Democrats, liberal and moderate Republicans, and
Independents are more likely to vote for such a candidate. Only conservative Republicans are less likely
to vote for such a candidate.
• Likewise, Americans are three times more likely to vote against a political candidate who strongly opposes
action to reduce global warming. Only conservative Republicans are, on balance, slightly more likely to
vote for a candidate who strongly opposes action to reduce global warming.
• Two in three Americans (66%) support the Congress and president passing laws to increase energy
efficiency and the use of renewable energy as a way to reduce America’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Most likely to voice support are Democrats (81%), including 89% of liberal Democrats. Majorities of
liberal and moderate Republicans (63%) and Independents (59%) do as well. By contrast, conservative
Republicans are the least likely to support passing energy efficiency and renewable energy laws as a way
to reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels (42%).
• Two in three Americans (64%) support setting strict carbon dioxide emission limits on existing coalfired
power plants to reduce global warming and improve public health, even with the explicit caveat
that the cost of electricity to consumers and companies would likely increase. Most likely to support the
limits are Democrats (82%, 89% of liberal Democrats) as well as liberal and moderate Republicans
(65%). About half of Independents (48%) support such limits, but only 31% of conservative
Republicans support setting strict limits on carbon dioxide emissions.
• A majority of Americans (62%) say the U.S. should reduce its greenhouse gas emissions regardless of
what other countries do. Democrats in particular are likely to agree (75%, 84% of liberal Democrats).
Majorities of liberal and moderate Republicans (57%) and Independents (53%) support this as well.
Fewer than half of conservative Republicans (43%), although still a plurality, believe the United States
should reduce its emissions regardless of what other countries do.
• Americans across political lines, except conservative Republicans, think government, (including their
own member of Congress, their governor, local government officials, and President Obama) should do
more to address global warming.
• Large majorities of Democrats, Independents, and liberal/moderate Republicans think corporations and
industry and citizens themselves should do more to address global warming. Conservative Republicans
are much less likely to say corporations or citizens should do more.
Other key findings include:
• About half of Democrats say a U.S. House candidate’s views on global warming and developing clean
energy sources will be very important to their vote. Independents and Republicans place less importance
on these issues.
• One in four Americans (26%) would be willing to join – or are currently participating in – a campaign to
convince elected officials to take action to reduce global warming. The most likely to do so are liberal
Democrats (49%); the least likely are conservative Republicans (6%).
• Many Americans, if asked by a person they like and respect, would take action to support candidates
who share their views on global warming. Half of Democrats (49%) would sign a pledge to vote only for
such candidates, and one third or more would write to a government official on the subject (42%), meet
with an elected official (35%), volunteer time to elect such a candidate (36%), and/or donate money to
such a political candidate (32%). Independents and Republicans are less likely to say they would take any
of these actions.
• If asked by a person they liked and respected, many Americans would support (21%) or participate in
(13%) an organization engaging in non-violent civil disobedience against activities that make global
warming worse. Liberal Democrats are the most likely to say they would do so; conservative
Republicans are the least likely.
• Americans think that when elected officials make decisions about how to deal with global warming, they
are most influenced by large campaign contributors (71%), fossil fuel companies (67%), clean energy
companies (57%), and climate scientists (53%). Fewer Americans (35%) think that people who share
their own views about global warming have influence.
• Democrats are more likely than Independents or Republicans to say they could influence the decisions
of government officials regarding global warming if they worked together with like-minded others.
• More than half of Americans think that if the United States takes steps to reduce global warming, it will
provide a better life for our children and grandchildren (60%), help free us from dependence on foreign
oil (55%), improve people’s health (54%), save many plant and animal species from extinction (52%),
and create green jobs and a stronger economy (50%). Most Democrats, particularly liberal Democrats,
expect these and other benefits, whereas fewer than a third of conservative Republicans expect any of
these benefits if the U.S. takes steps to reduce global warming. Nearly half of Independents and
liberal/moderate Republicans have these views.
• About half of Americans think that if the United States takes steps to reduce global warming, it will
cause energy prices to rise (53%) or lead to more government regulation (52%). Only 22% of Americans
think it would cost jobs and harm our economy. Republicans, particularly conservative Republicans, and
Independents are the most likely to expect these to happen.
