President Joe Biden gave a speech climate change a key issue in his 2020 campaign. Three years into his presidency, what do those who care most about the issue think what he has done? How much do they know?
Few Americans say they have heard much about what the administration has done on climate change. This extends to members of the president's own party and to those who consider the issue of climate change very important. Half of them have heard little or nothing of what the administration has done.
And perhaps as a result, those who prioritize climate change are feeling a little unsatisfied: More of them believe the president has done too little, rather than just the right amount, to try to reduce it.
But they like the policies of the Biden administration when they hear about them.
Climate change: An important issue for Biden's base
Climate change is not the most important issue for Americans in general; it follows economic issues and issues such as crime and immigration. But most Democrats, liberals, those who voted for Mr. Biden in 2020, and many younger people care deeply about the issue. These groups will be crucial for Mr. Biden in November.
Only 10% of Americans who say climate change is a very important issue have heard or read much about what the Biden administration has done so far to address it. And when we evaluate the Biden administration, many think he has done too little to address it.
When some of the Biden administration's climate change policies were introduced, most of those that put a lot of emphasis on climate change, from improved regulations, to reducing toxic chemicals in drinking water, to to tax rebates for buying an electric vehicle, they favored the policies. .
Even people who feel the administration has done too little on climate change support these policies. So this may be more about Mr. Biden needing to get his message across than having to convince this “climate electorate” – those who call the climate issue very important – of the substance of his policies.
What is the “climate constituency” looking for?
Nine in 10 of those who say the climate issue is very important support the country taking action to stop or slow the pace of climate change, and if they had to choose, they would overwhelmingly prioritize protecting the Earth's climate over of energy production.
And most agree with the administration and Democratic leaders that efforts to reduce climate change would help the economy, not hurt it, putting them at odds with those who attach little or no importance to the issue.
2024 presidential candidates and climate change
While this “climate electorate” would like Mr. Biden to do more, they prefer his approach to climate change and energy policy to that of former President Donald Trump. It is the general public that is unconvinced, and that is compounded by the fact that Mr. Biden runs even with Trump among people who are asked which approach to the issue they most agree with. More than a quarter choose none.
Americans who think the issue of climate change is very important and who want an energy policy that moves away from fossil fuels in favor of renewables prefer Mr. Biden's approach to both climate and energy, while those who place little importance on climate change and want to encourage more fossil fuel production favor Trump's approach.
That also greatly reduces partisanship, although independents, who think efforts to fight climate change will hurt their finances rather than help them, lean more toward Trump's approach than mr biden
Looking ahead, there is skepticism that either candidate will be able to do much about climate change if elected in November.
Ultimately, more believe Mr. Biden will slow the pace of climate change and more believe Trump will increase it, while half believe it will make no difference regardless of who wins in 2024.
Americans with a more fatalistic view of climate change — who think there's nothing humanity can do about climate change or who think it doesn't exist in the first place — are the most likely to say the election won't make a difference.
This CBS News/YouGov poll was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,230 adult US residents interviewed between April 16 and 19, 2024. The sample was weighted by gender, age, race and education according to the US Census' American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as past voting. The margin of error is ±2.7 points.
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