The partisan divide over climate change is as deep as ever, poll finds | The Numbers Racket

A February study by the Pew Research Center found that a growing number of Americans share concerns over climate change. 

Over the last four years, the percentage of Americans who think climate change should be a top priority rose from 38 percent to 52 percent, the study found. 

However, it also concluded that a large portion of that change was from Democrats, showing that climate change continues to be a point of contention along party lines. 

Here’s what they found: 

Party lines

According to the study, even word choice got different responses from Democrats and Republicans, despite the increase in concern overall. 

In 2020, 85 percent of Democrats said “protecting the environment” should be a top priority for the president and congress. Just 39 percent of Republicans said the same. 

Changing the language to “climate change” or “global warming” should be a top priority for the president and congress led 78 percent of Democrats to agree while just 21 percent of Republicans said the same. 

Policies 

90% … the percentage of Democrats who think the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change. 

39% … the percentage of Republicans who think the federal government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change. 

When broken down by generation, the study found that millennial age and younger Republicans were more likely to think that the federal government is doing too little to address climate change. 

The study found that conservative Republicans were particularly skeptical of the effect policies had on addressing climate change. 

Twenty-five percent of conservative Republicans said climate change policies do more good than harm for the environment. Forty-seven percent said policies make no difference for the environment and another 26 percent said climate change policies do more harm than good. 

46% … the percentage of Republican women who think the federal government is doing too little to address climate change compared to 34 percent of Republican men.