65% of voters believe that the election
results have a chance of setting the nation backwards on its
decarbonization goals, while voters blame financial and mental
health burdens on global warming
NEW
YORK, July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Deep Sky, a
carbon removal project developer, commissioned a public opinion
survey that polled American voters on climate change. The findings
show overwhelming concern about negative impact to daily life,
especially as the presidential election looms.
There is a growing sense of dread among Americans who say that
climate change has become a daily concern. Voters have
experienced:
- a disruption to a daily routine (27%);
- property damage (24%);
- and health issues (18%).
Among voters who've experienced property damage, Floridians were
104% more likely to indicate this impact. Extreme weather events
have become everyday concerns, with respondents ranking heat waves
as the most concerning, followed by tornadoes, droughts and
wildfires.
Americans are also feeling the effects of climate change on
their mental health. A quarter of respondents have
experienced "climate despair," while 44% of voters say they feel
that climate change is a hopeless situation. Not surprisingly, Gen
Z were 21% more likely than average to indicate this. More than a
quarter (26%) say that worries about the climate have negatively
impacted their mental health, with Gen Z 46% more likely than
average to say this.
As a result of these burdens, climate change has placed a
heightened focus on the outcome of the presidential election. Among
the chief concerns:
- 65% of voters believe that the 2024 election has the potential
to set the country back on decarbonization goals;
- 58% are worried about what the outcome of the election could do
to the climate;
- and 49% say climate change is a crucial factor in their choice
for the presidential election.
What's more, nearly 1 in 3 voters say it has impacted major life
decisions for them. Of those whose major life decisions have been
influenced by climate change, 55% have seen home purchases impacted
(18% higher for those living in urban areas), 40% have seen
retirement plans impacted (Gen X 48% more likely to say so), and
35% said it impacted their family planning (with Gen Z 51% more
likely to indicate this).
Americans are also feeling the impact financially, with 28%
saying that the rise in extreme weather events has caused them
increased financial burdens. More than half (52%) of those
experiencing increased financial burdens due to climate change say
they've experienced increased insurance premium costs in the past
12 months.
Despite climate risk warnings since the 1970s, a lack of
education persists. In the survey, 45% of respondents indicated
that they do not fully understand what "decarbonization" means,
with 39% not understanding how they can make a difference.
Three-quarters of those who do not fully understand what
decarbonization means lack knowledge about the decarbonization
technology that exists.
Methodology
Findings come from a nationwide online survey of a
randomly-selected sample of 612 adult (18+) Americans who are
registered to vote, fielded between June
17-20, 2024. Respondents included 32% males, 66% females,
and 2% non-binary, and represent 46 of 50 states.
About Deep Sky:
Montreal-based Deep Sky is the
world's first tech-agnostic carbon removal project developer aiming
to remove gigatons of carbon from the atmosphere and permanently
store it underground. As a project developer, Deep Sky brings
together the most promising direct air and ocean carbon capture
companies under one roof to bring the largest supply of high
quality carbon credits to the market and commercialize carbon
removal and storage solutions like never before. With $75M in funding, Deep Sky is backed by world
class investors including Investissement Québec, Brightspark
Ventures, Whitecap Venture Partners, OMERS Ventures, BDC Climate
Fund, and more. For more information,
visit deepskyclimate.com.
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SOURCE Deep Sky