Most Americans Want Climate Action. How To Bridge The Political Divide
An aerial view of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene flooding Bat Cave, North Carolina on October 8, ... More 2024. (Photo by)
The vast majority of Americans across the nation believe climate change is happening (72%), are worried about it (63%), believe it's affecting the weather (65%), and want to transition the U.S. economy to clean energy (66%), including funding research into renewable energy (76%) and providing tax rebates for energy efficient solar panels and vehicles (75%). An extraordinary 77% believe schools should teach about global warming too and 63% said that developing clean energy should be a priority for the President and Congress. That's according to a new study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communications and George Mason University Center for Climate Communications.
Map of U.S. adults worried about global warming - Yale Program on Climate Communications, Feb. 2025
While the current Trump administration is slashing all of the above, there are bipartisan efforts underway to address climate change on Capitol Hill and in statehouses nationwide.
'Climate change is not a partisan issue — it is a reality that affects every community across our country. The challenges we face, from extreme weather to rising energy costs, demand real, lasting solutions,' Congresswoman Chrissy Houlihan, Democrat of Pennsylvania and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus wrote me in an email.
Congresswoman Chrissy Houlihan (D-PA), former U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve
She also agrees with the Yale research findings on energy, adding, 'While the word 'climate' may be politically charged for some, the need for affordable, reliable, and secure energy is something we can all agree on. Americans are calling for action, and as Members of Congress it's our responsibility to deliver."
"If we want long-term solutions that address both our constituents' concerns and growing climate risks, we must work together to strengthen our energy and climate security with urgency.' Working together means building a bridge across the political divide on climate and clean energy.
To explore how we can bridge the partisan divide to address the climate crisis, I spoke with Chelsea Henderson, the author of the new book, 'Glacial: The Inside Story of Climate Politics,' and Director of Editorial Content at RepublicEn.org, an organization of 'conservatives for climate change,' as she described it.
"Glacial - The Inside Story of Climate Politics" by Chelsea Henderson
RepublicEn.org was founded by former Republican Representative Bob Englis of South Carolina and they talk about their movement as 'the EcoRight.'
Their website says, 'We stand together because we believe in the power of American free enterprise and innovation to solve climate change. Together, we encourage, embolden, and applaud conservative climate leadership,' adding, 'We're here for those who want to embrace the competition of ideas about solutions.'
'I think the first step is just saying it's okay to say that climate change is real and happening, because as you and I know, it is real and it is happening,' Henderson explained in an exclusive interview on Electric Ladies Podcast recently.
'I love to quote Dr. Katharine Hayhoe on this matter. She's like, gravity doesn't care if you believe in it or not. If you jump off a cliff, you're going to go down. Same with climate change. Whether you believe in it or not, that hurricane might hit your town.'
Here are ways Henderson suggested we can build bipartisan support for initiatives that address the climate crisis:
Chelsea Henderson, RepublicEn.org
Screenshot - Renewable energy in Ohio - cleanchoiceenergy.com
Mystik Dan #3, ridden by jockey Brian J. Hernandez Jr. (R), crosses the finish line ahead of Sierra ... More Leone #2, ridden by jockey Tyler Gaffalione and Forever Young, ridden by jockey Ryusei Sakai to win the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 04, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by)
She said some skiers talk say they can no longer ski their favorite slopes because of droughts caused by climate change. Even the Kentucky Derby is at risk from climate change, Henderson said, because 'they've gotten to the point where sometimes it's too hot for the horses to be out. It's not safe.'
Fire-affected residents meet with FEMA officials on January 14, 2025 in Pasadena, California, where ... More a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opened today to help homeowners, renters, businesses and non-profits with their economic recovery. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
'It's going to take a village of messengers and messages to reach people,' Henderson added, 'at the end of the day also crises do often unify us.'
'Mother Nature does not care what your political affiliation is.'
Listen to the full interview with Chelsea Henderson on Electric Ladies Podcast here. Attend The Earth Day Women's Summit on April 22nd in Dallas, TX.
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