Voters Support Key Climate Provisions of the Build Back Better Plan
By Julia Jeanty
A number of key climate provisions—including creating a Civilian Climate Corps, implementing tax credits for clean energy projects, investing in frontline communities, and phasing out government subsidies for fossil fuels— remain under consideration as part of the Build Back Better reconciliation bill. Data for Progress polling finds that these climate provisions are extremely popular with voters, and thus should be a priority for Congress as well.
In a September 2021 national survey, Data for Progress assessed the attitudes of likely voters towards key climate provisions of the Build Back Better Agenda. We found that voters across party lines overwhelmingly support investments in climate and clean energy. These investments go beyond the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s proposals for improving physical infrastructure.
Among the eight major proposals that Data for Progress tested, investments to make homes, buildings, and schools more energy-efficient is the most popular, enjoying a +50-point margin of support (70 percent support, 20 percent oppose). More than six in ten voters also support investments in clean energy R&D (67 percent support), tax credits for clean energy projects (65 percent support), clean electricity performance incentives for utilities (63 percent support), and investments in frontline communities that are disproportionately impacted by climate change and pollution (62 percent support). Meanwhile, over half of likely voters support creating a Civilian Climate Corps (57 percent support), making electric vehicles more affordable for consumers (57 percent support), and phasing out subsidies for oil, gas, and coal (54 percent support).
We also find that there are several climate provisions within the reconciliation bill that enjoy support across party lines. Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike back investments to make homes, buildings, and schools more energy-efficient, investments in clean energy R&D, clean energy tax credits, and clean electricity performance incentives. Though less popular among Republicans, majorities of Democrats and Independents support investing in frontline communities, creating a Civilian Climate Corps, making electric vehicles more affordable for consumers, and phasing out subsidies for fossil fuels.
Ending fossil fuel subsidies, which equate to roughly $20 billion annually, is a popular idea among Democrats and Independents. Over half of voters (54 percent) — including nearly three-quarters of Democrats (73 percent) and a majority of Independents (59 percent) — support eliminating tax subsidies for the fossil fuel industry in upcoming legislation. Phasing out subsidies that keep the costs of dated and carbon-intensive energy practices artificially low can free up funds that can be reallocated to more cost-effective and environmentally-conscious energy sources and abate concerns that climate policies are unattainably expensive.
Conclusion
Climate provisions are not only critical toward bolstering the resilience of our country in the midst of an ever-worsening climate crisis; they are also extremely popular among voters across party lines. Congress can and should pass legislation that delivers on infrastructure and climate change alike.
Survey Methodology
From September 23 to 26, 2021, Data for Progress conducted a national survey of 1,234 likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points.