Americans Expect U.S. EPA To Ensure a Safe and Healthy Environment and Will Support Climate Solutions that Protect Health and Children

At a time when the role of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is under review by the Supreme Court, ecoAmerica’s latest American Climate Perspectives reveals widespread bipartisan support for the U.S. EPA’s role in ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all Americans. The survey also shows that the majority of Americans are concerned about climate change, including more than people may think. Top reasons for supporting climate action include safeguarding future generations (which was particularly activating for older Americans), protecting personal and public health, and ensuring everyone is safe.

Majorities of Americans Expect the EPA To Ensure a Safe and Healthy Environment

While national rhetoric might lead people to think otherwise, ecoAmerica finds that 80% of Americans nationwide expect the United States Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that the environment Americans live in is safe for our health. This support holds across political affiliation, with 87% of Democrats, 73% of Republicans, and 80% of Independents agreeing. Similarly, a strong majority (>75%) across all age groups agree that the EPA is responsible for a safe and healthy environment for all Americans.

Americans also Believe the Government is Responsible for Ensuring a Safe and Healthy Environment

In addition to the role of the EPA, the survey found that most Americans believe it is the responsibility of federal and local or state governments to ensure a safe and healthy environment. 64% of Americans believe that the federal government and 60% believe that local or state governments should be responsible.

A Majority of Americans Are Concerned about Climate: More Than You Might Think

The majority of Americans (71%) report being concerned about climate change, including over 35% who are very concerned and 35% who are somewhat concerned. Another 16% are “a little” concerned, bringing the total to well over 85%. Only 14% report that they are not concerned about climate change. Although there is a high level of climate concern, fewer Americans believe others around them feel the same. Only 16% say that others around them are “very” concerned, for example, when, in reality, more than twice this many report being so. This gap in perceived versus actual climate concern (a phenomenon called pluralistic ignorance) can lead to silence and inaction on climate because people are hesitant to step outside perceived social norms to act.

Climate Concern Varies Across Parties and Generations

A high majority of Democrats (85%) report being concerned about climate change, with half of them being very concerned. 73% of Independents report overall concern about climate change, with over a third of them being very concerned. 53% of Republicans report being concerned about climate change. While there is an over 30-point difference between Republicans and Democrats, it is notable that the level is over half and that nearly 1 in 5 Republicans report being “very” concerned about climate change.

Climate concern varies across age groups. Younger demographics report higher concern compared to older groups, with Americans between 18 and 24 years old reporting the highest (82%) level of concern. Despite this cross-generational variation in concern, a majority (>60%) in each age group report being concerned about climate change. 

Future Generations, Health, and Safety Are Top Reasons for Supporting Climate Solutions

ecoAmerica’s survey finds that most Americans (62%) would support climate solutions to protect the lives of children and future generations. Similarly, 62% would favor climate solutions to protect personal and public health. Moreover, ensuring that everyone is safe from climate change, not just some people, was a reason selected by 60% of respondents, signaling a path forward for justice and equity. Jobs, a topic often cited as the perceived top rationale for action on climate, was selected by the least number of respondents (50%).

Protection of Children and Future Generations is the Strongest Motivation for Older Americans

Despite holding lower climate concerns compared to younger age groups, older Americans show the strongest support for climate solutions when given the rationale to protect children and future generations. 71% of Americans aged 55-64, 72% aged 65-74, and 67% aged 75 or older say they would support climate solutions if they protect the lives of children and future generations.

Our Climate of Opportunity: Closing Gaps, Building Solutions

ecoAmerica’s American Climate Perspectives Survey underscores resounding support across party lines and generations to address climate change and protect the environment. With widespread support for the U.S. EPA and a clear recognition of government responsibility, the report reveals a solid foundation for implementing robust climate solutions. The findings point to the opportunity to move past partisan rhetoric to close the perception gap about climate concern and emphasize the benefits of intergenerational climate action for children, future generations, and personal and public health.

Full data featured in this blog is available in the accompanying toplines.

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Methodology

ecoAmerica designed and administered this survey, which was conducted online on February 26-27, 2024, using Survey Monkey. The survey yielded a total of 1,006 complete adult responses and used the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to weigh the national general population and reflect the demographic composition of the US. The sample was drawn from an online panel, and the respondents were screened to ensure that they were over the age of 18. The margin of error for the sample is +/-3%. In interpreting the survey results, it is important to note that all sample surveys are subject to possible sampling errors. Thus, the results of a survey may differ from the results that would be obtained if the entire population were interviewed. The size of the sampling error depends upon both the total number of respondents in the survey and the percentage distribution of the responses to a particular question. For example, if 50% of the respondents in a sample of 1,006 respondents answered, “Yes” to a particular question, we can be 95% confident that the true percentage would fall within 3 points or range from 47% to 53%.

Suggested Citation

Speiser, M., Ishaq, M. (April, 2024). American Climate Perspectives Survey 2024. Vol I. Americans Expect U.S. EPA To Ensure a Safe and Healthy Environment and Will Support Climate Solutions that Protect Health and Children. ecoAmerica. Washington, DC.

© 2024 ecoAmerica. The contents of this report may be shared and used under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

For more information contact us at research@ecoAmerica.org.
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