Voters Support Investments in Disaster Preparedness and Climate Resilience
By Danielle Deiseroth
Last weekend, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane, leaving over one million Louisiana residents without power. Described as “one of the strongest storms to make landfall here in modern times” by Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, early estimates anticipate the hurricane caused $15-$20 billion in damages. While New Orleans’ upgraded levee system prevented the mass flooding events that occurred during Hurricane Katrina, not all communities were spared from the storm surge. Moreover, it is not guaranteed that the levees will function properly during future storms. Scientists say that Hurricane Ida is just one example of how climate change is intensifying natural disasters to degrees that our infrastructure is not prepared to withstand.
In an August 2021 national survey, Data for Progress assessed the attitudes of likely voters towards federal investments in disaster preparedness and natural resource restoration and resilience. We find that voters overwhelmingly agree that Congress should increase funding for disaster preparedness solutions, rather than continue the practice of spending relief money after a disaster occurs. Additionally, we find that voters think that the most important reason to invest in natural resource restoration and resilience is to improve the environment.
First, we asked voters whether they think Congress should prioritize funding proactive measures to mitigate damages from natural disasters or continue the current practice of primarily responding to disasters after they occur. By a +52-point margin, voters agree Congress should spend more on disaster preparedness to prevent damages and save taxpayer dollars. Consensus is bipartisan: Majorities of Democrats (75 percent), Independents (76 percent), and Republicans (65 percent) are in agreement that the government should increase funding for disaster preparedness.
We also asked voters what they think is the most important reason to invest in natural resource restoration and resilience. Data for Progress polling from June 2021 found that a majority of voters support government investments in nature-based solutions to climate change, such as restoring natural coastal infrastructure. Half of all voters (50 percent) say the most important reason to invest in natural resource restoration and resilience is to improve the environment, followed by saving money in the long run (15 percent) and making communities safer (13 percent).
It is clear that voters across party lines overwhelmingly support federal investments in disaster preparedness. Additionally, voters support investments in natural resource restoration and resilience primarily to improve the environment, in addition to economic benefits. Given this broad bipartisan support, lawmakers should feel empowered to make ambitious investments in both disaster preparedness and natural resource restoration and resilience. As wildfires burn across the West and hurricane season enters its most perilous months, voters will continue to see that the climate crisis is here now, not in the distant future. Lawmakers must take action to both protect our environment and mitigate the damages that are to come.
Danielle Deiseroth (@danielledeis) is the Senior Climate Data Analyst at Data for Progress.
Methodology
From August 6 to 9, 2021, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,586 likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±2 percentage points.