Climate Justice
WE ARE A SUPERMAJORITY
“80–90% of Americans underestimate the true level of concern for climate change as well as support for transformative climate policies like 100-percent renewable energy mandates and a Green New Deal.” –G. SPARKMAN, N. GEIGER, E. WEBER 2022
The climate silence across our public culture conceals a remarkable bipartisan supermajority for climate action and climate justice.
66% OF AMERICANS SUPPORT AN AMBITIOUS “GREEN NEW DEAL” ACCELERATING THE TRANSITION FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO CLEAN, RENEWABLE ENERGY WITH A FOCUS ON JUSTICE.
77% FAVOR STRONGER ENFORCEMENT OF POLLUTION LIMITS IN SACRIFICE ZONES DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY AIR AND WATER POLLUTION, AND 70% FAVOR INCREASING FEDERAL FUNDING TO COMMUNITIES LIVING IN THESE AREAS.
69% FAVOR TRANSITIONING THE US ECONOMY (INCLUDING ELECTRIC UTILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, BUILDINGS, AND INDUSTRY) FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO 100% CLEAN ENERGY BY 2050.
Large majorities also favor more parks and green spaces in environmental justice communities, national renewable energy jobs training for both members of these communities and fossil fuel workers, and funding to boost the efficiency of housing in low-income communities.
We consistently misperceive this support in a mass misunderstanding that both evidences and contributes to the spiral of climate silence. Americans supporting major climate policy outnumber opponents 2 to 1. But we perceive the opposite. We think we’re outnumbered 2 to 1. In every state, residents underestimate support for transformative action.
In New York State, 72% of residents are climate concerned. Residents estimate 44% are concerned. In Mississippi, 61% are climate concerned, but residents believe it is only 33%.
The myth of American climate indifference is so exaggerated that researchers call it a “false social reality.” Every climate conversation we have helps to break down this false social reality and replace it with the truth—a conversation about the myth itself is a good place to start.
PIE CHART STATISTICS: GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION & YALE PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION
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Pie charts
66%
Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication: Politics & Global Warming, December 202077% and 69%
Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication: Climate Change in the American Mind: Climate Justice, Spring 2023Green space, renewable jobs training, low-income housing efficiency
Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication: Climate Change in the American Mind: Climate Justice, Spring 2023False social reality/mass misunderstanding and state statistics
Nature Communications: Americans experience a false social reality by underestimating popular climate policy support by nearly half -
Youtube Video: A Message From the Future With Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
NPR: Biden is unveiling the American Climate Corps, a program with echoes of the New Deal
George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication: Who supports climate justice in the U.S.?
