Partisan Gaps on Environment and Global Warming % saying isa top priority Protecting the environment Dea ling with global warming
Opinions about the importance of both priorities, but especially global warming, are divided along partisan lines. Since 2013, the share saying that dealing with global warming should be a top priority has increased 16 points among Democrats (38% to 54%) and ticked up eight points among independents (31% to 39%). Just 15% of Republicans rate this as a top priority, while 21% view it as an important but lower priority. A majority of Republicans say dealing with global warming is not too important (31%) or should not be done (also 31%).
Partisan differences over the importance of protecting the environment are not as stark. Two-thirds of Democrats (66%) and 35% of Republicans rate this as a top priority. Most members of both parties (94% of Democrats and 82% of Republicans) say it is either a top priority or an important but lower priority.
Partisan Gaps on Environment and Global Warming  | % saying  | isa top priority  | Protecting the environment  | Dea ling with global warming  | 70  | Democrat  | 66  | 62  | 58  | 54  | 49  | 48 48  | Democrat  | .nd  | 38  | 35 40  | 39  | 40  | 32  | Independent 31  | 23  | Republican  | 13  | 15  | Republican  | 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15  | 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15  | Survey conducted Jan. 7-11 2015.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 