Climate change attitudes in Oregon
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Transcript of Climate change attitudes in Oregon
Climate Change Beliefs of Oregonians
July, 2011
A Call for Better Communications and Smarter Incentives
The purpose of conducting a statewide climate change survey was threefold:
1. Deeply understand attitudes about climate change
2. Test recommendations of the Oregon Global Warming Commission Roadmap to 2020
3. Identify levels of support for climate change initiatives
OGWC reached out to over 2,000 Oregonians with help from various groups
Respondents were from urban & rural parts of Oregon
Overall, there exists strong support for climate change initiatives …
We looked at support of initiatives based on political view
We found two fundamentally different views of climate change
Most conservatives don’t see evidence of climate change, yet when they do…
Evidence for climate change attributed to different causes based on political views
As a result, only about 20% of conservatives see a need for action
This reality caused us to ponder the future of carbon reduction incentives
Simple majority of the environmentally
“aware”
Identifying the “others” is not difficult
Based on the Climate Leadership Initiative and the Social Capital Project’s study, “Climate Communications and Behavior Change” report, we know that, when discussing attitudes about climate change, people can be grouped into 3 major groups & 10 subgroups:
Green-hued:• The Greenest Americans (9%) Everything is connected, and our daily actions have an impact on the
environment.• Idealists (3%) Green lifestyles are part of a new way of being• Traditionalists (24%) Healthy families need a healthy environment. Undecided:• Traditionalists (20%) Religion and morality dictate actions in a world where humans are superior to nature.• Driven Independents (7%) Protecting the earth is fine as long as it doesn’t get in the way of success.• Murky Middles (17%) Indifferent to most everything, including the environment. Uninterested:• Fatalists (5%) Getting material and status needs met on a daily basis trumps worries about the planet.• Materialists (7%) Little can be done to protect the environment, so why not get a piece of the pie.• Cruel Worlders (6%) Resentment and isolation leave no room for environmental concerns.• UnGreens (3%) Environmental degradation and pollution are inevitable parts of America’s prosperity.Simple majority of
the the base + others
To identify this “other/undecided” group, we first identified skeptics
Simple majority of the the base + others
Over one quarter of respondents are “skeptical witnesses” of climate change
Simple majority of the the base + others
About 15% of skeptics approve of some form of carbon mitigation
Simple majority of the the base + others
Over 20% of skeptics believe in incentives to reduce emissions
Simple majority of the the base + others
Over 20% of skeptics interested in more expensive alternative transport
Simple majority of the the base + others
Over 30% interested in installing renewables with a feed-in tariff
Simple majority of the the base + others
Larger base of support focused on popular incentives
There are shared objectives that hold the promise of significant support
Supermajority based on shared objectives
Within energy roadmap, agreement on renewables & conservation goals
Supermajority based on shared objectives
Domestically-produced energy supported by all political views
Supermajority based on shared objectives
Preferred energy sources differ by view, but renewable nonetheless
Supermajority based on shared objectives
More utility bill cost control desired by a majority of political points of view
Supermajority based on shared objectives
Costs associated with transportation are also a significant unifying issue
Supermajority based on shared objectives
Energy efficiency projects that lower bills appreciated by everyone
Supermajority based on shared objectives
Interest in:• Limiting utility emissions• Increasing renewables• More efficiency• Domestic energy (not coal or
bio-based)• Personal energy cost controls
• Home utilities• Transportation
Interest in:• Emission reduction• Incentives to reduce GHGs• Alternative vehicles• Feed-in tariffs• Plus, everything in the
Supermajority list (to the right)
SummarySupermajority of the political spectrum focused on shared
goals
Simple majority of the progressive base plus those
movable “others”