Doubts Rise over Biden’s Climate Law Amid Growing Eco-Concerns
TL/DR –
A new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows that 45% of U.S. adults have become more concerned about climate change over the past year. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which promotes clean energy and electric vehicles, is not widely known among the general population and only 23-35% believe it will help address climate change. Despite this, Biden still has an advantage over former President Trump in terms of trust on climate change, with 4 in 10 U.S. adults and two-thirds of Democrats expressing “a lot” or “some” trust in Biden on the issue.
Increasing Climate Change Concerns Among Americans
According to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 45% of adults in the U.S. have grown more concerned about climate change in the past year. The residents noticing the effects include Ron Theusch from Alden, Minnesota, who worries about the future generations amidst the changing weather patterns.
Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act
President Joe Biden’s signature climate change policy, the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to decrease climate change fear by investing billions into clean energy incentives. However, knowledge of the law among the general population is limited, and it may not provide the electoral boost Biden anticipates, despite some Americans already seeing benefits.
Benefits of Clean Energy Incentives
About 25% of Americans say they’ve benefited from renewable energy tax credits and incentives for clean energy manufacturing in the U.S., with similar numbers for individual solar panel tax credits and electric vehicle subsidies. This impact is significant considering the law was passed less than two years ago. However, those who’ve benefited are disproportionately Democrats.
Public Sentiment on Climate Change Measures
Most Americans are not confident the Inflation Reduction Act will effectively address climate change. Only 23-35% believe the law’s key components will eventually help, while about 20% see no difference. Roughly a third don’t know enough to form an opinion.
Biden vs. Trump on Climate Change
President Biden seems to have more public trust on climate change than former President Donald Trump. About 40% of U.S. adults and two-thirds of Democrats trust Biden on this issue, whereas only 30% trust Trump. However, Biden’s claim that his climate plan will benefit the U.S. economy doesn’t seem to resonate with most Americans, as per the poll.
Public Opinion on Federal Government’s Climate Actions
A majority of Americans believe the federal government is doing too little to tackle climate change. About half say it’s crucial to limit environmentally harmful products and tech usage, and nearly half believe the government should pass stricter environmental laws. Additionally, most Americans deem it necessary for the federal government to invest in eco-friendly technologies and enforce current environmental regulations.
The poll was conducted from April 4-8, 2024, with a sample of 1,204 adults. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.
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