The 2020 general election provided our country a unique opportunity to act on climate. With President Biden in office and Democrats holding the majority in Congress, we are in a position to create lasting change for current and future generations.
But how popular is climate action? In California, it’s pretty popular.
In partnership with Change Research, we conducted a statewide poll to assess the attitudes of Californians on the climate crisis.
The poll confirms voters throughout the state are deeply concerned about the climate crisis and want to see the Biden administration take bold action on climate. Some of the additional topics that the poll explores range from wildfire prevention and investments in offshore wind to clean drinking water infrastructure.
For this poll, Change Research surveyed 1218 registered voters in California from June 11-16 through an online survey. Voters surveyed were representative of California’s population and the modeled margin of error for this survey is 3.3%.
Below you can find key findings from the poll, indicating Californians’ support for climate action.
The Urgency of the Climate Crisis
Communities across the state are feeling the impacts of climate change. As a result, Californians are deeply concerned with the climate crisis and want the Biden administration to take bold action.
- 69% of Californians say it’s important for Congress to address the climate crisis by 2030, including 57% who say it’s very important.
- 60% of Californians feel Congress and the Biden administration need to do more to address the climate crisis – with 43% of respondents saying we have to do much more.
Wildfire and the Impacts of Climate Change
Wildfire season is here, and voters of all political stripes are concerned about wildfire season in California. This is understandable because wildfire seasons have escalated over the years due to the climate crisis.
- 89% of respondents said they were concerned about the upcoming wildfire season. Over 58% of respondents said they were very concerned.
- There is strong support for Congress to invest funds to make California’s wildfire season less severe. 84% of Californians support Congress taking this action, with a majority of Californians (57%) strongly supporting this investment.
- Concern about this issue and a desire for action cuts across party lines. 65% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents support Congress taking action to address the impact of wildfire in California.
Support for Bold Climate Solutions
Our state is known as a global climate leader. Californians are supportive of action to address the climate crisis, including investing in renewable energy alternatives, addressing drinking water infrastructure, investing in heat-resistant communities, and protecting our open spaces and public lands.
- 67% of Californians support investing in offshore wind, including 49% who strongly support it. Californians are interested in investing in renewable energy alternatives to help us reach our climate goals.
- Ensuring access to lead-free and toxin-free drinking water is extremely popular across all political lines. 84% of those surveyed support Congress investing in clean drinking water infrastructure. 63% of Californians strongly support this investment.
- Overall, 79% support Congress making significant investments in developing heat-resistant communities (strategies to create heat-resistant communities may include insulating and retrofitting buildings so that they don’t absorb as much heat, planting more trees, creating community gardens, and creating community cooldown centers.)
- The protection of public lands and open space, a key component of addressing the impacts of climate change, is very popular among Californians. 94% of those surveyed say protecting open space and national monuments is important to them. 67% of those surveyed consider this to be very important.
We only have until 2030 to prevent major climate catastrophe, but the climate crisis is happening right now as Californians grapple with worsening wildfires, drought conditions, and crumbling infrastructure that can’t keep up with these impacts. Scientists already know the solutions, and Californians know that we cannot afford to keep waiting for the change we need.
The public wants climate action. Now it is up to the Biden administration and our elected officials to make it happen.
