November 16, 2012
Washington, DC
Superstorm Sandy is fueling concerns about climate change and how it's inflating the costs and risks of extreme weather, according to a new post-election poll from Zogby Analytics. The poll shows key voting groups in the 2012 election – Hispanics, women, young voters – are among those most concerned with confronting climate change now and protecting America's air, water, wildlife and other natural resources.
"These results show the dramatic impact 2012's extreme weather has had across party lines, with half of Republicans, 73 percent of independents and 82 percent of Democrats saying they're worried about the growing cost and risks of extreme weather disasters fueled by climate change," said Pollster John Zogby. "It's a major change from our December 2009 poll, which showed two-thirds of Republicans and nearly half of political independents saying they were 'not at all concerned' about global climate change and global warming. The political climate has shifted and members of Congress need to catch up with their constituents." Two-thirds of voters (65 percent) say elected officials should take steps now to reduce the impact of climate change on future generations, while just 27 percent say we should wait for more evidence.
