A new nationwide poll finds that support for holding Big Oil accountable increases after voters learn about the industry’s climate deception.
A new nationwide poll confirms yet again that voters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support making major polluters pay their fair share of climate costs they have created — especially when voters learn about Big Oil’s decades of climate deception.
According to the latest survey from Fossil Free Media, Climate Power, and Data for Progress, 70% of likely voters supported making fossil fuel companies pay for climate damages like wildfires, droughts, and floods. When respondents were told how “oil and gas companies have known for decades that their products were hurting the climate, but lied to the public about it," support for making polluters pay jumped to 77%, including 91% of Democrats, 75% of Independents, and 63% of Republicans.
The latest poll is yet another data point in a long line of evidence that shows holding oil companies accountable for their lies is not only legally sound, but also politically popular.
These findings align with similar surveys that CCI has conducted throughout the country. A 2023 poll of Pennsylvania voters showed an eight percentage point increase in voter support for oil companies paying for most or all of the costs for climate damages after they were informed of the industry’s deception. Similar increases in percentage points were found among voters in South Carolina, Nevada, Washington, Ohio, Oregon, Maine, and North Carolina once they learned about Big Oil’s deception.
“This overwhelming support should send a clear message to elected officials that holding Big Oil accountable is not just the right thing to do — it's also good politics," said CCI President Richard Wiles.