Weekly Briefing: New Yale Numbers Show Increase In Alarmed Americans

January 19, 2022

According to the most recent results of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication “Six Americas” research from Sept. 2021, there are now more Americans who are alarmed about climate change than ever before.

At 33%, this is the first time that the Alarmed group of survey takers have outnumbered the other groups, Concerned (25%), Cautious (17%), Disengaged (5%), Doubtful (10%), and Dismissive (9%). The Alarmed are “the most engaged, are very worried about global warming, and strongly support climate action.” This group increased 9 percentage points from March to Sept. of 2021, for a total of 15 percentage points over the past five years. This leads program director Anthony Leiserowitz and his team of researchers to conclude that “Americans are becoming more worried about global warming, more engaged with the issue, and more supportive of climate solutions.”

These numbers are great news for CCL because they mean public opinion is moving in our direction. This survey proves that the needle is shifting, and CCL is successfully building political will for climate action. As we build this political will, more people are ready to get involved. 

This is a great time to reach out in your personal circles to people who may be newly alarmed about climate change and are looking for an opportunity to take action. Send them to cclusa.org/action so they can email the President and Democratic Senators and ask for strong climate policy in the Build Back Better Act. We’ve generated 14,711 contacts so far in 2022. Help us hit 15,000!

Take Action!
In other news this week: 

_________________________________________________________________________

• CCL’s Conservative Conference: CCL’s Conservative Conference is set to be in person in Washington, D.C., on Mar. 29 and 30. Attendees will get to rub elbows with Republican members of Congress and the best of the eco-right as we discuss the opportunities provided by conservative climate action. If you know a conservative who isn’t involved in CCL who would be a good fit for this event, consider inviting them to attend. More information can be found here.
• Dear Sen. Manchin: CCLers in West Virginia have been reaching out to Sen. Joe Manchin, a key Senator in Build Back Better negotiations. Volunteers have been sharing their personal stories through videos and telling the senator why they support a carbon price, in addition to asking him to support one. You can see their videos in the Twitter thread here.

________________________________________________________________________

Take action this week  

If you have a little time: Like and share this tweet

Stephanie Burns, a research consultant who leads the Alexandria CCL chapter in Virginia, recently tweeted about the impact of a carbon price on emissions. Stephanie’s tweet includes a chart showing a steep reduction in emissions after the introduction of a carbon price. You can like and share that tweet here.

If you have more time: Write a letter to the editor (LTE)

As CCL floods Congress with emails, this is a great time to let your local newspaper know your climate concerns. You can find a list of relevant LTE topics and tips here. Need a little help getting started? Join CCL’s State and Local Media Coordinator Charlotte Ward for an LTE writing event on Feb. 8. Charlotte will provide more tips on how to write an effective LTE and help you begin your letter.

You can also connect with your nearest CCL chapter to take action in your community, or join one of CCL’s national online Action Teams to take action on specific topics like agriculture, health, faith, and more. 
__________________________________________________________________________
Featured Lever This Week 

CCL volunteers participate in roundtable with Rep. Trone and Sec. Haaland

In November, Sabrina Fu and other members of CCL were invited to participate in the Roundtable on Climate and Environmental Justice, an initiative started by Congressman David Trone (D-MD-06) and U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. The purpose of the roundtable was to better analyze how to use infrastructure funding in Maryland to ensure that areas most impacted by inequality are able to see environmental action and opportunity. 

The hour-long roundtable discussion included six other environmental organizations, as well as representatives from Rep. Trone’s and Sec. Haaland’s offices and representatives from Maryland Senators’ offices. Those on the roundtable panel were asked for some ideas on how to use infrastructure dollars in Maryland to address both the issues of climate change and environmental justice.

Sabrina discussed the need to connect to green spaces in urban areas, and proposed the removal of dividing freeways that aren’t in demand and replacing them with green spaces. 

Read the Full Story!

_________________________________________________________________________

Upcoming Trainings 

1/20: Understanding Methane Fees — Join CCL Research Coordinator Rick Knight for a training that will explore the various ways that a methane fee as part of the Build Back Better might be designed and implemented. Join us! 

1/27: Exploring Concerns About Inflation From Climate Policies — Join CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli for a training that will review concerns about inflationary impacts from climate policies like a carbon price or other provisions in the Build Back Better Act. Join us!       

Need training on the basics? Catch our next session of Core Volunteer Training, made for newer volunteers:

1/25: Climate Science Basics AMA — Have a question about the recent IPCC report or about climate science in general? Join Dr. Kim Cobb, leader of Science Policy Network, and Dana Nuccitelli, CCL Research Coordinator, for CCL's quarterly Ask Me Anything with some of the most well-respected climate scientists in the country. Join us! 

To see other topics and past trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.