The University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy found that the majority of Americans, including some of Trump’s supporters, believe in giving priority to renewable energy over oil drilling as reported by Gizmodo.
The school surveyed 707 adults from 50 states both before and after the United States election. The researchers found that ¾ of all respondents, regardless of political affiliation, stated that renewable energy should be a higher national priority than drilling oil.
93% of Clinton voters and 84% of non-voters agreed. Trump votes were the only group that favoured expanded oil drilling, but 48% still preferred renewable energy. Before the election, only 39% of Trump supporters said the same.
The results also line up with the results of other polls. A Pew Survey last October 2016 also found strong support for renewable energy.
This is encouraging as rural voters, mostly Trump supporters, would be most affected by either a push for more coal mining jobs or a shift to green energy. Based on survey results, presenting green energy as a solution to climate change will not stir up much support from this base, but the economic truth that coal use is on a long-term decline and green jobs are the future will matter down the track and might change some minds about the issue.
It’s unlikely that the United States will see even more moderate support for scientifically founded environmental reform strategies in the near future, and nothing in the way of corporate regulation. As the effects of climate change become more evident, it’s truly encouraging that it may see modest support for green energy initiatives, even from sceptics.
Click here to read the full story on Gizmodo
Solar Trust Centre Team
