A January 24, 2020 USA TODAY article, Republican and Democratic voters actually agree on many climate change fixes. So why no action? by Elizabeth Weise, describes the results of a January 10-13, 2020 opt-in poll of 1,006 adults in which they were asked about climate change and whether they would support a variety of possible solutions.

The results show that a total of 72% of Americans support reducing "the effects of climate change," (86% of Democrats, 55% of Republicans, and 78% of Independents). 

Some of the possible solutions that garnered majority support from Republicans, Democrats, and independents included: modernizing the U.S. electric grid; government investment in technologies to remove carbon dioxide; stronger efficiency standards for new and existing buildings; and expanding reforestration efforts, protection of sensitive lands, and restoration of wetlands.

The poll results seems to indicate that policies to deal with the effects of climate change could enjoy considerable public support rather than resistance. 

There’s a lot of belief among Americans that it’s necessary – and possible – to do something about climate change, and a fair amount of agreement on what should be done.

“That’s something that feels heartening because changing public opinion is tough. The fact that public opinion is already there suggests there's a lot of potential energy to deal with climate change,” said Ipsos’ Jackson.

“We’re trying to dispel the myth that the reason we can’t make progress in this is because the public is at each other's throats on these issues. The public is actually in broad accord on a number of areas. The stopping points are coming from elsewhere,” Public Agenda’s Friedman said. 

“It could be a much calmer, more rational, reasoned debate if we ever actually get past taking sides,” Jackson said.

The poll findings are part of the Hidden Common Ground initiative that will continue through the 2020 election. The initiative partners include USA TODAY, Public Agenda, The Kettering Foundation, the National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI), and the network of local organizations that make up the National Issues Forums (NIF).

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