Clean energy mandate fares best among voters

Source: By Josh Siegel, Washington Examiner • Posted: Monday, February 24, 2020

CLEAN ENERGY MANDATE FARES BEST AMONG VOTERS: More than half (51%) of those polled by Data for Progress backed a 100% clean energy standard, the most popular of all the climate policies tested by the group. Such a standard would require the U.S. power sector to produce electricity from all zero-carbon sources by a certain date.

The clean energy standard did even better than the progressive wing’s sweeping proposal for overhauling the economy to reduce emissions, the Green New Deal, which 45% of those polled said they supported, 35% opposed, and 20% were unsure what to think, according to results released Monday by the progressive group.

Market-based climate policies found even less support: A result representatives from the progressive group were quick to point to.

A carbon tax, for example, was split 38% in favor and 38% opposed, with a quarter unsure. A cap-and-trade system saw slightly more support (46%) than the Green New Deal, with 30% opposed.

One environmental policy saw nearly two-thirds support: Sixty one percent of those polled said they’d support Congress updating and strengthening the Clean Water Act