Poll: Arizonans want swift climate action, cleaner air policies - Arizona Capitol Times

Poll: Arizonans want swift climate action, cleaner air policies | Arizona Capitol Times

By JoAnna Strother //December 20, 2023//

The stormy clouds shined from above with the sun. View from aeroplane.

By JoAnna Strother //December 20, 2023//

For the fourth consecutive year, Arizonans have made their position on climate action clear: they want more renewable energy and pollution-free vehicle options, and they want policymakers to move on them quickly, according to the latest American Lung Association poll results.
The annual poll, conducted by Global Strategy Group, surveyed voters from across the state on clean air and climate action, with findings this year showing the highest level of concern to date among respondents. An overwhelming majority of voters surveyed said that climate change (80%) and air pollution (83%) are serious problems, and a notable increase of voters (71%) believe that climate change is already causing serious negative impacts on the state, compared to 64% the year prior.

These findings should come as no surprise, as Maricopa County just experienced its hottest and driest summer on record. Such extreme weather conditions, coupled with Arizona having some of the worst air pollution in the U.S., creates the perfect storm for heightened respiratory and cardiovascular concerns, such as increased asthma attacks, worsened COPD, and in extreme cases, premature death.

What’s more, our continued reliance on outdated fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas is not only causing devastating environmental impacts and compounding the air pollution crisis but it also threatens public health, inevitably leading to higher levels of impaired lung function, lung cancer, heart attacks and strokes.

According to the poll, 70% of voters believe policymakers need to do more to combat climate change, and to that end, should make significant and immediate investments by swiftly enacting the historic levels of federal funding available for renewable energy technologies and zero-emission transportation choices.

Since tailpipe emissions from Arizona’s transportation sector are the leading cause for our state’s poor air quality, transitioning to zero-emission vehicles is the most effective and critical step to cleaning the air that we breathe.

Arizonans understand this and believe it not only will have a positive impact on health and air quality but also the state’s economy. The polling demonstrates broad support of policies that transition to pollution-free vehicles including decreasing emissions from cars and trucks over time (62% support), electrifying the medium- and heavy-duty sector by 2040 (62% support) and transitioning public fleet vehicles to zero-emission by 2035 (59% support).

We applaud Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs’s Office of Resiliency , Maricopa Association of Governments, and Pima County for securing a total of $5 million dollars in planning grants from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program. These agencies are currently developing strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution throughout Arizona.

And while this initiative marks a positive step in the right direction toward improving the region’s air quality and creating a more sustainable and healthier future for Arizona, time is no longer on our side. It’s imperative that these CPRG plans include investments in zero-emission technologies such as charging stations, electric school buses, electric vehicle incentives and more to effectively combat the ever-increasing climate crisis.

The message is loud and clear: the time for decisive action is now. Arizonans want swift climate action and cleaner air policies, and they want it today. The proactive steps taken by our local governments signify a recognition of this imperative need.

Let’s continue to amplify our voices to be heard by our policymakers to stress the urgency for meaningful and effective measures to ensure a healthier and more sustainable tomorrow.

JoAnna Strother is Senior Advocacy Director for the American Lung Association in Arizona