Voters Are Concerned About Rising Costs and Think Climate Change Will Financially Affect Them

By Brynne Robbins and Elias Kemp

The Senate is currently reviewing the Republican budget bill that passed in the House of Representatives last month. The proposed legislation would repeal key economic components of the Inflation Reduction Act, including energy and environmental provisions, and experts predict that it may increase the national debt by $2.4 trillion or more.

These cuts to key climate investments could hurt Americans on the issue that matters to them most: the cost of living. First Street, a climate financial risk modeler, predicts a $1.5 trillion reduction in home values in the next 30 years due to climate change, and food prices are projected to rise consistently as a consequence of global warming. 

New polling from Data for Progress shows that a majority of voters report that they are paying more for groceries (77%) and electric bills (60%) compared with last year. The change in food costs is particularly pronounced among older voters: 82% of voters over the age of 45 report rising grocery costs, compared with 68% of voters under 45.