The majority of Americans appear to not share U.S. President Donald Trump’s views that priority should be given to expanding the USA’s fossil fuel sectors.
Soon after President Trump took his oath of office, “An America First Energy Plan” appeared on the WhiteHouse.gov web site. It spoke of taking advantage of untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves and reviving the nation’s ailing coal industry. No mention was made of renewable energy in the document.
But what do Americans think?
A very recent Pew Research Center survey found 65% of Americans give priority to developing alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power, compared with 27% who would prefer an emphasis on expanded production of fossil fuel sources.
“Support for concentrating on alternative energy is up slightly since December 2014. At that time, 60% said developing alternative energy sources was the more important priority,” states the Center.
While conservative republicans favour fossil fuel expansion more (54% vs. 33%), those identifying as moderate or liberal republicans say there should be a bigger focus on alternative energy sources (65%).
77% of conservative/moderate and 88% of liberal democrats believe alternative energy sources should be the most important priority.
The survey also revealed younger Americans are more likely to prioritise alternative energy sources, with 75% of 18-29 years olds indicating this preference.
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that does not take policy positions. More details from the survey can be viewed here.
President Trump has not wasted any time in pursuing his fossil fuel vision. Earlier this week, he revived the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines projects, which were blocked by his predecessor on the basis of environmental concerns. Furthermore, he has stipulated that the pipes should be American- made.
The efforts of the Obama Administration helped get the ball rolling on renewable energy in the USA. While the residual effects coupled with global momentum will keep it rolling regardless of President Trump’s actions (or lack thereof) on this front, there’s certainly interesting times ahead for the country’s wind and solar sectors.
