Russia’s assault on Ukraine has lifted gas prices near record levels, reflecting Western sanctions on the world’s third-largest oil producer.
Meanwhile, an ice shelf just disintegrated in Antarctica, and the Great Barrier Reef is suffering mass bleaching caused by record temperatures.
According to recently released polling data from Gallup, those are some of the key issues at the heart of the energy debate in the U.S. When asked to choose between prioritizing the development of domestic oil, gas, and coal energy supplies or protecting the environment, Americans are starkly divided along political lines, reported CNBC.
The poll surveyed 1,017 adults between March 1 and March 18. Respondents lived in all 50 states and Washington D.C.
“Concern about energy has increased significantly in the past year, and it is likely tied to higher gas prices as we have seen in the past,” Jeff Jones, a senior editor at Gallup who authored the report, told CNBC.
The poll results, 47% of survey respondents worry a “great deal” about energy availability and affordability, up from 37% a year ago and 22% in 2020. Another 30% of Americans said they worry “a fair amount” about the availability and affordability.
The poll found that 77% of Americans are worried about prices.
Broadly, Americans are split when prioritizing environmental protection (50%) or energy production (46%). The gap has narrowed amid the surge in gas prices.
“People generally favor environmental protection and still do, but they adjust that preference depending on the prevailing energy situation,” Jones stated.
Among Republicans, 78% say they prioritize energy production, compared to only 17% of Democrats. Those numbers are reversed when it comes to protecting the environment, which is favored by 78% of Democrats and 17% of Republicans.
“Their basic priorities remain the same,” Jones mentioned. “Republicans for energy production and Democrats for environmental protection.”
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