Support for Renewable Energy is High, While Trust in Political Action is Crashing

According to Jon Connor, CEO of The Climate Institute, if people try to repair the [public trust in the Australian political system, people may think that climate change and energy seem the most improbable place to start as reported in The Guardian. How can people get past carbon price scare campaigns, the broken tax promise and the ever-changing government policies?

The Climate Institute has been conducting national attitudinal research on this issue since 2007, charting and taking note of the views of Australians about matters that relates to climate change and energy policy, the changing weather patterns, the related natural disasters and the waning of the political landscape.

The Institute research shows support for political leadership on climate change has rebounded and remained strong since 2008 since the bipartisan support for key policies that includes emissions trading.

This year, the research began against the gloomy backdrop in which the price spike was being blamed on South Australia’s surging renewable energy and the termination of its coal-fired power stations. But the research showed this crisis did not have any negative effect on the continued growth and enthusiasm for renewable energy.

Public support for wind and solar energy has continued to grow at the expense of coal and gas. It was also known by the research the frustrations of many Australians with the politicians for not giving it the needed support. Thus, it has translated into widespread disappointment with the performance on every level of government as well as with the business sector.

And after a decade in national policy, Australians strongly believe that government at the national level should be responsible for climate action. This view is held across the political spectrum. The research also found that mid-2012 marked the low point in support for climate action.

Perhaps the most powerful reality is clean energy alternatives are now a very real part of people’s lives. It goes beyond the global investment reality where experts have seen the level of investment in renewable energy double that in fossil fuels. The decrease in cost for wind and solar technologies are being matched by the emergence of other more tangible technologies that people can use daily. Australians can see the clean energy future and they want to be part of it

Click here to read the full story in The Guardian and here to read the research

Featured Image Credit: The Guardian