Data for Climate Progress — Earth Day Edition! — 04.22.22
Policy
Direct Pay
Our latest memo details how Direct Pay – which would distribute tax credits through direct cash payments rather than deductions from year-end tax returns – can help make clean energy tax credits more accessible to clean energy producers. Read more here.
2022 Appropriations Pave the Way for Historic Climate and Energy Investments
Data for Progress is excited to submit appropriations requests that will support funding to combat the energy crisis while creating good-paying jobs and reducing emissions. Our appropriations requests focus on three major clean energy solutions: grid resilience, clean energy loans and transition planning, and carbon dioxide removal. Altogether, our requests add up to more than $8 billion in smart climate spending.
Our polling finds that voters overwhelmingly these requests, including funding community initiatives at the Department of Energy (+44-point margin), funding to upgrade electricity transmission lines across the nation (+47-point margin), and funding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s research on ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (+33-point margin).
Read more here.
Dc Fur Ban: Fur Is Out Of Fashion
The DC City Council recently introduced a new bill that would ban the sale of new fur products in the District. Our new blog with DC Voters for Animals reveals that a majority of voters want to ban the practice of raising animals solely for fur production. We also find nearly two-thirds of voters would support proposals in their cities to ban sales of fur clothing and accessories. Read more about how fur is going out of style here.
The Green New Deal is Incredibly Popular
The Green New Deal is popular among voters. A majority of voters back critical GND-branded bills in Congress. Our new blog by Marcela Mulholland and Saul Levin explains how members of Congress are out of touch with voter preferences: despite the GND’s popularity, GND-branded bills have yet to achieve above 20 percent of support in either chamber.
ICYMI: Marcela attended a White House event earlier this month to learn how the Biden Administration is increasing energy efficiency and resiliency in public schools. More here.
Polling
It’s Time to Listen to Young Voters on Climate Action
Data for Progress and Sunrise Movement assessed the attitudes of likely voters ages 18-35 toward climate change and found that young voters express mixed feelings about Congress’ ability to meaningfully address climate change. Moreover, a significant portion thinks the outsized influence of corporations and wealthy donors is to blame for Congress’s inaction.
Despite these attitudes, overwhelming majorities of young voters support ambitious federal climate action, including an executive order to declare a National Climate Emergency, as well as the policy provisions within the Green New Deal. Read more here.
Voters Support Using the Defense Production Act to Accelerate Clean Energy Production
In late March, President Biden announced the use of the Defense Production Act to boost domestic production of components necessary for clean energy technologies. A majority of voters support using the DPA to boost production and reduce demand for Russian energy. Read more here.
Young Voters Want Biden to Act on Climate and Fossil Fuel Industry Accountability
DFP and Fossil Free Media released a new poll that finds a majority of young voters across the country want the Biden Administration to fulfill its campaign promises to act on climate and stop approving new federal fossil fuel projects.
81 percent of young Democratic voters and 64 percent of young voters overall agree that Biden should take ambitious actions now to secure our future.
Now More Than Ever, Voters Support Ramping Up Clean Energy Production in the US
Recent DFP polling finds that voters across party lines support investments to advance clean energy production in America and hold oil and gas companies accountable for price shocks.
Over two-thirds of all voters (69 percent), including nearly all Democrats (87 percent), two-thirds of Independents (66 percent), and a majority of Republicans (54 percent), say that in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the federal government should invest in domestic clean energy production. Read more here.
This Earth Day, Biden Must Center Indigenous Voices to Live Up to Climate Promises
This Earth Day, efforts to conserve our land and waters must center Indigenous voices. In a new blog, Jade Begay and Julia Jeanty call on President Biden to incorporate Indigenous-led conservation in his robust 30x30 conservation initiative in order to create a new, forward-thinking, inclusive model for conservation and land management that centers Indigenous communities, expertise, and needs.
Cross-Cutting Issues
Today is the 52nd Earth Day! Here’s a look back at some of DFP’s biggest climate hits:
Lead Locally
GND Slate
We’re Hiring
We are hiring a Press Assistant to help draft press releases, polling and policy memos, and content for our social media. Details on our website!
For information about additional job openings, click here.
Our friends at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) are hiring a Partnerships Program Deputy Director. More info here!
Media Hits
Huffpost: Russia Crisis Should 'Supercharge' Climate Efforts In Build Back Better 2.0: Memo (DFP mentioned)
Huffpost: Gas Price Hikes Test The Climate Action Movement (Danielle quoted)
Teen Vogue: Sunrise Issues a Memo to Democrats Calling for Green New Deal Commitments (DFP mentioned)
Gwinnett Daily Post: 30 green jobs that can help fight climate change (DFP mentioned)
Vox: How to fight the affordable housing and climate crises at once (DFP mentioned)
Gilmer Mirror: Most Significant Wildlife Conservation Bill in Half a Century” Ready for Votes in House, Senate (DFP mentioned)
Governing: California Conservation Corps Still Serving Youth and Climate (DFP mentioned)
One Green Planet: Washington D.C. Council Introduces Bill to Ban Sale of Fur Products (DFP mentioned)
Greenbiz: Robo-advisor launches climate-friendly 401(k) plan for employers (DFP mentioned)
The Nation: War Is Not an Excuse to Ignore Climate Change (DFP mentioned)
Common Dreams: Progressive Organizations Announce Green New Deal Champions Pledge (DFP mentioned)
Common Dreams: Green Groups Praise Progressive Dems' Call for Climate Emergency Declaration (DFP mentioned)
Common Dreams: New Climate Polling Should Be Warning to Democratic Establishment, Group Says (DFP mentioned)
The New Republic: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ed Markey Have a Tough New Climate Pledge for Midterm Candidates (DFP mentioned)
Grist: Why the Senate hasn’t made a climate deal yet (Danielle quoted)
Red Green and Blue: Progressive Democrats call for Climate Emergency Declaration (DFP mentioned)
Meme