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SALT LAKE CITY — Most Americans want to see an increase in renewable energy but aren’t willing to change their lifestyles, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The survey found that a majority of Americans (63%) support the goal of the United States going carbon neutral by 2050. How they want to get there remains unclear.
Support for wind and solar power options has declined since 2020, primarily among Republicans. Prior to President Joe Biden’s administration, 84% of Republicans supported building more solar panel farms, but that number has now fallen to 64%.
But it’s not just Republicans who are influencing the results: Democrats are less likely to call climate change a “very big problem” for the U.S. than they were in 2021. Last year, the number of Democrats who said they were likely to consider an electric vehicle when buying their next car dropped from 56% to 45%.
“In some cases, the gap between Republicans and Democrats over energy policy approaches the very wide partisan gap over the importance of climate change,” the study said.
Ben Abbott, an associate professor of life sciences at BYU, doesn’t see environmental policy as a partisan issue.
“If anybody thinks this is a Democrat or Republican issue, the leader on renewable energy is South Dakota,” Abbott said. “This isn’t about left or right, this is about progress.”
Renewable energy sources like solar and wind are by far the cheapest, most sustainable and overall best option, he said. The U.S. is lagging behind Europe, China and other countries in this area. What’s holding us back? Our loyalty to traditional fossil fuel companies, he said.
Abbott said fossil fuel companies are working hard to convince people that renewable energy options aren’t viable or a waste of time. The Utah Legislature passed a bill, SB161, last session to keep the state’s largest power plants operating beyond their scheduled retirement years, then updated the deadlines and requirements during a special session on June 19.
“Utah taxpayers will be paying more for their electricity to support fossil fuel companies that are no longer competitive,” Abbott said.
Republican Senate candidate John Curtis of Utah, who is the founder of the Conservative Climate Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, wants to put climate back on the center stage without blaming fossil fuels.
Curtis’s middle ground seems to suit both parties: More than half of Democrats believe fossil fuels should remain alongside renewable energy, but 45% of Democrats believe fossil fuels should be phased out completely.
Younger Republicans also tend to be more centrist and are far more likely to support renewable energy options than older Republicans, according to the survey.
“I don’t think there’s any other Republican in the Senate or the House who has done more to help these issues than John Curtis,” Abbott said.
He says there are a lot of ideas about what can be done to help the environment, but not all of them necessarily translate into individual action.
Only 25% of Americans say reducing carbon emissions is “extremely or very important” to them. Previous surveys by the center have shown similar attitudes, with only 23% of those surveyed expecting to make major personal sacrifices because of climate change.
Utah taxpayers will end up paying more for their electricity to support fossil fuel companies that are no longer competitive.
– Ben Abbott, Professor of Life Sciences, BYU
Abbott says it’s natural for people to feel like sustainability efforts aren’t working — after all, corporations and governments are often bigger contributors to pollution than ordinary people. But there’s still a lot individuals can do. Switching to a plant-based diet, taking public transport or driving an electric car, and making simple building upgrades for homes and private businesses can make a big difference, Abbott said.
Abbott says he often hears people complain that they shouldn’t have to worry about their personal sustainability when other people don’t.
“Regardless of what our communities are doing, regardless of what the state of Utah is doing, regardless of what China is doing, I believe each and every one of us has a responsibility to make the right choice,” he said.
Abbott said small efforts and big commitments from key decision makers add up to big impacts, especially in Utah, where fossil fuel air pollution causes 3,000 to 5,000 premature deaths each year.
“We need to be informed, organised and work together to enable our political leaders to make the right decisions,” he said.
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