Americans want “America First”, but with more climate protection

This emerges from a new survey by the IPSOS opinion research institute, for which 3000 people in Germany and the USA were interviewed on behalf of the progressive center.

At the same time, according to the survey, 56 percent see an ambitious climate policy more than an economic opportunity than a risk. This also agreed to 42 percent of the Trump supporters. However, the US President has announced that it would massively expand fossil energies in the United States. His government has already got out of the Paris climate agreement.

In contrast, a majority (54 percent) of the respondents in the United States find that the right time for massive investments in the green transformation of the economy is now. 71 percent believe that the government is doing as much as necessary or too little (48 percent). However, only 20 percent are convinced that too much is being done here anyway.

For Florian Ranft, a member of the management at the Progressive Center, the data shows that “more people see a chance to secure competitiveness in the transformation on climate neutrality as a location disadvantage”.

A similar picture as in the United States is also evident in the respondents in Germany: the majority of an ambitious climate policy is seen as economic opportunities. However, there is a difference in the worries that people use the most (increasing living costs, the economic situation and migration).

While 66 percent in Germany are somewhat or very concerned about the economic development of their own region, only 46 percent are concerned in the United States, which concerns the economic situation in their countie. The year before, it was 56 percent.