Generation gaps in US public opinion on renewable energy and climate change
Generation gaps in US public opinion on renewable energy and climate change
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DOI：
10.1371/journal.pone.0217608
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发表时间：
2019-07
期刊：
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
L. Hamilton;J. Hartter;E. Bell
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
L. Hamilton;J. Hartter;E. Bell
在政策讨论和科学分析中，气候变化和可再生能源的主题往往联系在一起，但公众对这些主题的看法既有重叠，也有分歧。虽然可再生能源比人为气候变化有更广泛的潜在接受度，但它也可能面临不同的反对意见。对美国和地区调查的分析，包括对新罕布什尔州（2010-2018年）和俄勒冈州东北部（2011-2018年）重复调查的时间序列分析，探讨了公众对这两个问题的看法的社会基础和趋势。政治分歧很突出，尽管由于实质性分歧和更多的党派反对，在气候变化方面的分歧更大。关于气候变化和在较小程度上关于可再生能源，政治分歧往往随着教育而扩大。还有强烈的年龄和时间效应：年轻人更经常优先考虑可再生能源开发，并同意科学家对人为气候变化（ACC）的现实。在所有年龄组和两个区域系列中，对可再生能源的支持和对ACC的认可都在逐渐增加。与广泛的猜测相反，这些趋势并没有明显地对2012年，2017年或2018年的美国飓风等事件做出反应。但是，随着年龄组的更替和年龄组投票参与情况可能发生变化，逐渐出现的趋势表明，要求就这些问题采取行动的公众压力可能会增加。
The topics of climate change and renewable energy are often linked in policy discussions and scientific analysis, but public opinion on these topics exhibits both overlap and divergence. Although renewable energy has potentially broader acceptance than anthropogenic climate change, it can also face differently-based opposition. Analyses of US and regional surveys, including time series of repeated surveys in New Hampshire (2010–2018) and northeast Oregon (2011–2018), explore the social bases and trends of public views on both issues. Political divisions are prominent, although somewhat greater regarding climate change due to substantive differences and more partisan opposition. Regarding climate change and to a lesser extent renewable energy, political divisions tends to widen with education. There also are robust age and temporal effects: younger adults more often prioritize renewable energy development, and agree with scientists on the reality of anthropogenic climate change (ACC). Across all age groups and both regional series, support for renewable energy and recognition of ACC have been gradually rising. Contrary to widespread speculation, these trends have not visibly responded to events such as the US hurricanes of 2012, 2017 or 2018. Together with age-cohort replacement and the potential for changes in age-group voting participation, however, the gradual trends suggest that public pressure for action on these issues could grow.