Data for Climate Progress — IR-YAY!! — 08.11.22
What We’re Watching
Last week we watched — in somewhat disbelief — as the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act. After decades of failed attempts, this marked the upper chamber’s first time passing comprehensive federal climate policy. Despite its shortcomings, this bill will set our nation on a path to significantly reduce emissions at scale. We will break down our polling on the IRA later in the newsletter, but for now we want to highlight findings from Energy Innovation's modeling showing that "for every ton of emissions increases generated by IRA oil and gas provisions, at least 24 tons of emissions are avoided by the other provisions". That's a ratio of 24 to 1 in our — and the planet’s! — favor. This bill isn’t perfect, and it doesn’t include everything we would have liked to see, but it represents enormous progress — more progress than we’ve ever had on climate in this country — , and it’s worth celebrating. The stakes of the climate crisis are simply too high for us to be unwilling to make compromises that significantly reduce emissions.
We are also closely tracking developments on the permitting deal that Senator Manchin and Democratic leadership struck in order to move the IRA forward. As progressives, we are holding two truths at once here: 1) to quickly decarbonize our economy, we must change the federal permitting process to enable an expedited clean energy infrastructure build-out and 2) the fossil fuel industry and its allies in Congress will try to use this permitting reform deal to advance their interests and make it easier to pollute our climate and frontline communities. More to come from us on permitting.
Policy
Overwhelming Support for the Inflation Reduction Act
A new poll from Data for Progress and Climate Power shows that 73% of voters, including 73% of Independents and 52% of Republicans, support the Inflation Reduction Act and the bill’s historic investments in clean energy. More like IR-YAY, am I right? Read more here.
And beyond climate, voters are excited about the IRA’s other investments too. They support reducing the national deficit by at least $300 billion (by a +73-point margin) and lowering prescription drug costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies (by a +77-point margin).
This support translates at the state-level too.New DFP polling in Arizona shows that the state’s voters support the Inflation Reduction Act by a +30-point margin. This includes Democrats by a +76-point margin and Independents by a +29-point margin.
Apropos of absolutely nothing, we also found that AZ voters also support closing the carried interest loophole by a +51-point margin, including Democrats by a +83-point margin, Independents by a +47-point margin, and Republicans by a +32-point margin..
Voters Demand Farm Animal Protections From Both Politicians and Companies
California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12), a landmark law that implements some of the strongest animal welfare protections in the United States by prohibiting both the production and sale of eggs, pork, and veal from caged animals, took a major step to protect farm animals from cruel confinement. Amidst a pending Supreme Court case on Prop 12, new DFP Polling shows that 80% of voters want to prevent farm animal cruelty — and a strong majority want to see animal protection measures from both politicians and corporations. Read more here.
Increasing Equitable Disaster Relief
Climate disasters and extreme weather events are increasingly displacing people from their homes — particularly low-income renters. A new memo by Data for Progress Emerging Voices Fellow Ella Israeli finds that 47 percent of likely voters are “somewhat” or “very concerned” about being displaced from their homes due to an extreme weather event; however, only 38 percent of those polled think the federal government is providing sufficient support to Americans for disaster relief. Worries about climate displacement reflect a concern that the U.S. government is not prepared to provide the support that displaced Americans may need.
Community Benefit Agreements Offer Meaningful Opportunities to Include Voters’ Voices in Development
A new blog by DFP’s Catherine Fraser describes how Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) — agreements made between project developers and communities in exchange for community support— should include guarantees of local jobs, higher wages, and other local benefits. Voters support CBAs by a +40 margin, and would support CBAs implemented in their own communities by a +44 margin. Read more about how CBAs can help make climate innovation projects like direct air capture hubs more attentive to community needs here.
Polling
Fossil Fuel Funding in Climate Research
Data for Progress polling shows that voters believe that fossil fuel funding in climate research presents conflict of interest. Voters also agree that colleges and universities should refuse donations from fossil fuel companies to maintain unbiased research programs, including 68 percent of Democrats, 58 percent of Independents, and 47 percent of Republicans. Read more here.
Latino Voters Support Holding Oil and Gas Companies Accountable for High Prices and Taking Action on Climate Change
A new polling memo from Data for Progress and Climate Power finds that Latino voters blame oil and gas companies — not President Biden — for causing high gas prices and support policies to curb their excess profits. Moreover, we find that Latino voters are overwhelmingly concerned about climate change and support actions to expand clean energy production in America.
Voters Want Companies to Improve Transparency Around Their Climate Emissions
New Data for Progress polling shows that voters want businesses to go beyond empty pledges and disclose their climate impact. Over two-thirds of voters (68 percent) say it is “very important” or “somewhat important” that the companies from which they purchase goods and services are transparent about how their business activities are impacting climate change. Read more here.
Texas Voters Support Expanding Clean Energy Production and Strengthening Regulations on Oil and Gas Producers
Following a series of extreme weather events like Winter Storm Uri and a recent heat wave, Texas voters view improving grid reliability as a major priority. To improve grid reliability, Texas voters want to both strengthen regulations and expand clean energy production. Data for Progress polling shows that nearly all Democrats (88 percent), a majority of Independents (60 percent), and a plurality of Republicans (49 percent) support strengthening regulations on power companies and oil and gas producers.
Pennsylvania Voters Support Investments in Energy Efficiency Improvements
The bipartisan Whole-Home Repairs Act, which recently passed as part of the Pennsylvania state budget, will provide Pennsylvanians grants for making energy efficiency improvements to their homes.
A May 2022 Data for Progress survey found that 76 percent of Pennsylvanians supported the bill, including 90 percent of Democrats, 76 percent of Independents, and 62 percent of Republicans. Read more here.
Voters Are Concerned About SCOTUS Ruling on West Virginia v. EPA
The Supreme Court recently released a decision on West Virginia v. EPA, reshaping the way the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates air pollution. Prior to this decision, polling by Data for Progress and Evergreen Action found that almost three-quarters of all likely voters (74 percent) are concerned about air and water pollution in their communities. That includes 79 percent of Independents and 57 percent of Republicans. More here.
Cross-Cutting Issues
Corporate Accountability is THAT Girl
As our faves Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have articulated repeatedly, it’s time for big corporations to be held accountable for their contributions to a number of social and political issues affecting our daily lives from climate change to LGBTQ+ equality. Take a look at our most recent corporate accountability project:
As part of DFP’s Accountable Allies project, we published a report highlighting Fortune 500 Companies’ donating to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians. We also released policy memos tackling state policies that seek to silence discussion of LGBTQ+ identities in schools and restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare and the conditions contributing to their rise. Read more here and here.
Voters love corporate accountability and so do we! Stay tuned for more from DFP on corporate accountability for abortion rights and climate.
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Media Hits
USA Today: Climate worries voters of color
The Hill: Most voters concerned over climate impact of Supreme Court EPA ruling: poll
The Hill: Most Americans have concerns about being displaced by extreme weather, poll says
Salon: Doomsday: Supreme Court decision a dagger for efforts to curb carbon emissions, experts say
The Hill: Most US cities underprepared for rising heat, study finds
Huffington Post: Democrats’ Climate Deal Puts U.S. Emissions Goals In Reach, 3 Separate Studies Show
NY Times: Biden Announces Plans to Deal With Climate ‘Emergency’
Univision: Majority of Latinos blame Big Oil for higher gas prices, survey finds
Common Dreams: Voters Agree: Fossil Fuel Funding in Climate Research Is a Massive Conflict of Interest
Fortune: Supreme Court’s next major ruling could severely limit the power of the EPA
Canary Media: Chart: Most voters support climate bill, including majority of Republicans
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