Two-thirds of Texas registered voters believe climate change is happening, but their urgency about it varies considerably, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.
Less than a quarter of voters — 23% — say climate change is not happening, and another 12% say they aren’t sure. The partisan splits are big. Among registered voters who identify themselves as Democrats, 88% say climate change is happening, a view shared by 74% of independents and 44% of Republicans. Another 42% of Republican voters don’t think climate change is happening.
UT/TT POLL
Do you think climate change is happening?
All | |
Yes | 66% |
No | 23% |
Not sure | 12% |
Democrats | |
Yes | 88% |
No | 3% |
Not sure | 8% |
Republicans | |
Yes | 44% |
No | 42% |
Not sure | 14% |
Independents | |
Yes | 74% |
No | 16% |
Not sure | 10% |
Numbers may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Margin of error = ± 2.83 percentage points. Source: University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, October 2019; Credit: Stephanie Adeline
Among those who believe climate change is underway, 72% say they are “very worried” (34%) or “somewhat worried” (34%), while 28% say either they are “not very worried” or “not at all worried” about it. Among the Democrats in that group, 89% are very or somewhat worried. Among the Republicans who believe climate change is happening, 48% say they’re worried. And 68% of independents say they’re worried about climate change.
Overall, 47% say the federal government should be doing “a great deal” or “a lot” about climate change, while 31% say government should do “a little” or “nothing.” Another 16% took the middle road, saying government should do “a moderate amount.” The partisan lines are evident here: 79% of Democrats, 41% of independents and 18% of Republicans say the government should be doing a great deal or a lot about climate change. On the other hand, 8% of Democrats, 23% of independents and 55% of Republicans say the federal government should be doing a little or nothing about it.
UT/TT POLL
How much should government be doing about climate change?
All | |
A great deal/A lot | 47% |
A moderate amount | 16% |
A little/Nothing | 31% |
Don’t know | 6% |
Democrats | |
A great deal/A lot | 79% |
A moderate amount | 9% |
A little/Nothing | 8% |
Don’t know | 4% |
Republicans | |
A great deal/A lot | 18% |
A moderate amount | 20% |
A little/Nothing | 55% |
Don’t know | 7% |
Independents | |
A great deal/A lot | 41% |
A moderate amount | 21% |
A little/Nothing | 23% |
Don’t know | 15% |
Numbers may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Margin of error = ± 2.83 percentage points. Source: University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, October 2019; Credit: Stephanie Adelin
The numbers point to a wedge issue that has the parties on opposite sides in a way that could separate voters into camps, particularly on the question of government action.
“The only thing I see here is a way for Democrats to target Republicans,” said poll co-director Daron Shaw, a government professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “And it might be a way for Republicans to target older Democrats.”
Sixty percent of Texas voters under age 29 favor a great deal or a lot of government action, as do 55% of those between 30 and 44 years of age. But among voters 45 and older, only about two in five strongly favor government action.
The University of Texas/Texas Tribune internet survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted from Oct. 18-27 and has an overall margin of error of +/- 2.83 percentage points, and an overall margin of error of +/- 4.11 percentage points on the question about worry over climate change. Numbers in charts might not add up to 100% because of rounding.
“Texans say climate change is happening, but it’s a highly partisan issue, UT/TT Poll finds” was first published by The Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2019/11/06/texans-say-climate-change-happening-highly-partisan-issue-uttt-poll/
The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism.
Topics Texas Climate Change Education
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