Californians are most likely to name wildfires as the top environmental issue facing the state and are very concerned about the rising costs associated with climate change, according to a recent survey by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Although Californians understand climate change poses a personal and financial risk to their lives and generally want state and local governments to do more to address it, when asked if they’re willing to spend more money on renewable energy, most respondents said “no.”
This marks a continuing decline. In 2016, 56% of respondents were willing to spend more. Today, just 40% are.
Costs outweigh benefits
While renewable energy is generally cheaper than oil and gas, investing in the infrastructure to transition from a fossil fuel economy to a renewable energy economy is pricey. That includes the costs like installing high-speed EV chargers and reinforcing the electric grid. How to fund those projects is a conundrum for policymakers…