Overlooked in Climate Politics: September 2023
Welcome to Overlooked in Climate Politics, the Environmental Voter Project’s monthly newsletter that gives you a quick rundown of 3 under-reported stories in climate politics. Please forward it to your friends (they can subscribe here)! In this edition, we spotlight a Texas preemption law that will impede local climate action, some recent polling on climate justice, and new data on the staggering number of Houston residents who are concerned about climate change. We’re not always a Texas-heavy newsletter, but we are this month!
Texas Preemption Law Could Slow Climate Action.
Texas’s “blanket preemption” law has now gone into effect, effectively overriding countless local ordinances that would be considered stricter than state guidelines. This would include a large range of climate-related ordinances, such as those encompassing water rights, gas hook-ups, water breaks for workers during heat waves, and more. Although the law is still being fought in the courts, Texas cities and towns are preparing for an onslaught of litigation aimed at stopping progressive local measures, many of which were overwhelmingly approved by local voters.
Americans Support Climate Justice. They Just Don’t Know What It Is.
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and George Mason University recently released a public opinion data report titled Climate Change in the American Mind: Climate Justice, Spring 2023. One of the most striking findings was that, although 65% of Americans had never heard or read anything about “climate justice,” huge majorities of registered voters support the goals of climate justice. 81% of registered voters support creating more parks and green spaces in low-income communities and communities of color, while 77% support strengthening enforcement of industrial pollution limits in those communities. In short, Americans strongly support climate justice even if they don’t know what it is.
Houston Residents are Very Concerned about Climate Change.
In the lead up to Houston’s November mayoral election — with a likely runoff in December — Rice University’s Kinder Institute fielded an in-depth poll of over 2,000 residents of the country’s fourth largest city. Among the findings were data showing that over 70% of Houston residents said they were either “concerned” or “very concerned” about “extreme weather” and “climate change and environmental impacts.” The report includes some interesting details on which demographic groups are most concerned about specific environmental issues.
How You Can Take Action
Join the Environmental Voter Project on Zoom to mobilize low propensity environmental voters to vote in the upcoming Houston mayoral election! Join us for a special Houston briefing and phone bank event to kick off early voting on October 23rd at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT and for a phone bank with Texas-native Piper Perabo on October 25th at 7pm ET / 4pm PT. If you’re ready to get involved sooner, we currently have phonebanks scheduled to mobilize Virginia environmentalists next week on September 26th at 12pm ET / 9am PT, September 27th at 7pm ET / 4pm PT (w/ special guest Piper Perabo), and September 28th at 7pm ET / 4pm PT. Training provided — please join us!
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