The seventh wave of FAU Florida Climate Resilience Surveys tracks the evolution of public opinion in Florida
Boca Raton, Florida.And the October 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – Newswise – Seven sequential surveys conducted by researchers at Florida Atlantic University Where October 2019 They paint a comprehensive picture of Florida residents’ attitudes to resilience in the face of climate change during a period of particularly dynamic political, economic, and environmental events.
Climate change appears to have emerged as an enduring and cross-cutting issue in FloridaAt least, the importance has grown despite an explosive array of other events vying for public attention.
Belief in climate change between Florida The number of adults has risen to more than 90 percent, including 84 percent of self-identified Republicans, according to a new analysis of the seven polls in series. This seemingly emerging consensus may explain government actions today and in the years to come. for example, Florida The Republican governor and the legislature voted into law more than 400 million dollars of climate-related mitigation and resilience financing in 2022. It is not clear whether public opinion is driving such actions, or vice versa.
For example, the 62 percent of Florida residents (51 percent of Republicans) who today favor increased solar energy production in the state appear to have seen a significant increase during previous surveys. Driving this surge is a noteworthy convergence of public opinion across income groups: in previous FAU surveys, analysis of responses to the solar energy question by income revealed a split of 10-20 percentage points, while that range is now only about five points.
Other important survey questions show more stability over time, but as with the solar question, they report surprisingly broad support. For example, 71 percent of Florida residents (57 percent of Republicans) support teaching climate change science in the K-12 classroom, and 42 percent (40 percent of Republicans) are willing to pay additional monthly fees 10 bucks Infrastructure tax to reduce the effects of climate change. these Florida The levels belie the strong partisan divide observed elsewhere.
Nationally, for example, less than half of the Republicans polled believe in climate change, and less than a third of them believe in a human cause, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. Debate Florida The numbers observed in this survey are 58 percent and 38 percent, respectively.
“At least in FloridaClimate change may not be an effective campaign wedge issue for the upcoming November elections and beyond.” Colin PolskyPh.D., Professor and Director of the Center for Environmental Studies FAU Charles E. Schmidt College about science.
Over the course of the seven polls, public opinion on climate change was likely shaped by the Trump administration’s 2017 decision to withdraw United State From the 2015 United Nations Paris Climate Agreement. Likewise, the public importance of climate change will likely have diminished in response to the sudden community-wide disruption in 2020 associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crises.
“Recently, climate change has been in the public spotlight this year perhaps more than ever,” Polsky said. Since the Russian invasion in February UkraineOfficials around the world are struggling to supply energy markets without compromising their commitments to reduce fossil fuel consumption.”
In August, the US Congress passed the largest-ever national law (the Inflation Reduction Act) to spur action to combat climate change. In late September, almost all of Florida 20 million residents had to prepare for the rapidly developing, and eventually devastating Hurricane Ian, which eventually made its almost complete Category 5 landfall. Could it be Hurricane Ian Florida Most expensive storm ever with appreciation 47 billion dollars in insured losses, according to CoreLogic.
“Florida It may be the first domino to fall from Republican-led states that take strong climate action despite distancing themselves from the climate issue,” Polsky said. , the two in Florida and at the national level.”
For more information, survey results, and complete scheduling, visit www.ces.fau.edu/ces-bepi/ Or contact Polsky at [email protected].
– FAU –
The survey was conducted in English from September 1-7 2022. The sample consisted of 1,400 Florida residents, age 18 or older, with a margin of error of +/- 2.62 percent. Data was collected using an online panel provided by GreatBlue Research. Responses for the entire sample were weighted to adjust for age, race, income, education, and gender according to 2020 US Census Bureau data. It is important to remember that subgroups carry with them higher margins of error, as sample size is reduced.
About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic Universityfounded in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the university serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the Southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the university has doubled its research expenditures and outperformed its peers in student achievement rates. By coexisting reach and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model in which traditional achievement gaps disappear. FAU is ranked as an institution serving Hispanics, rated a top public university by US News & World Report and an institution of high research activity by the Carnegie Institution for the Advancement of Education. For more information visit www.fau.edu.
Media contact: Giselle Galustian
Senior Director of Media Relations, Research and Health Division
[email protected]
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source Florida Atlantic University
Originally published at San Jose News Bulletin
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