Pew Research Center surveyed 10,329 U.S. adults between May 30 and June 4, 2023. The nonpartisan think tank found that roughly three-fourths (74%) of Americans support the U.S. making efforts to reduce the effects of global climate change, and two-thirds (67%) of those surveyed want more energy to come from renewables.
Yet, less than a third of Americans (31%) support the idea of the country ditching fossil fuels altogether. Driving the lack of support: vehicles.
“Almost half said they would be upset – including a large majority of Republicans said they would be upset – about the idea of phasing out gas-powered cars by 2035,” said Brian Kennedy, a senior researcher at Pew and co-author of the report.
That year, 2035, is seen by many as a goal to end the sale of gas-powered cars. But Kennedy said most people have little confidence the country will build enough charging stations for such a large number of electric vehicles (EVs). He noted that just 17% of Americans are “extremely or very confident” the U.S. will build a network of charging stations to support a large expansion of EVs.
In 2021, the transportation sector generated the largest share of carbon emissions in the U.S. at 28%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
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