Yale and George Mason University recently asked American Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents about their views on energy and climate change. The good news: Despite party differences on these issues, there is promising common ground.
Republicans prefer clean energy for America’s energy future. A large majority of respondents (77 percent) support using more clean, renewable energy in the US. Among those, 69 percent feel we should be taking action immediately.
Considering both costs and benefits, by a margin of almost 2 to 1 (64 to 35 percent), conservative respondents say the US should take action to reduce our fossil fuel use.
In fact, for conservatives, the perceived benefits of clean energy outweigh the perceived costs. A majority of the respondents feel that taking steps to reduce our fossil fuel use will benefit the nation in a number of ways, including freedom from dependence on oil and providing a better life for our children and grandchildren.
And, a solid majority (62 percent) agrees that America should take steps to address climate change.
So how do we talk about climate and energy in order to emphasize this common ground? Here are some takeaways.
