Climate action benefits outweigh costs: Nationals and coal heartland voters

The YouGov poll, commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation, surveyed more than 15,000 people and found seven-out-10 Australians recognised action on climate change would deliver long-term economic benefits.

Almost half (48pc) said the benefits of climate change action outweigh the costs to them personally, while a further 19pc support greater action even if it costs them in the short term.

Just one-in-10 believe the costs of climate action were too high, while only 9pc didn't support climate action regardless of the cost.

The majority of people polled recognised climate action will produce economic benefits, including those in National-held seats such as Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce's seat of New England (55pc) and Resource Minister Keith Pitt's seat of Flynn (61pc).

Voters in coal-heavy seats such as Hunter (61pc) and Capricornia (60pc) shared the same view.

A majority of people in rural Australia (57pc) are not convinced the PM's commitment to net zero by 2050 is enough action, including people in regional Queensland (54pc), where climate action has long been thought of as a contentious issue, with politicians claiming it would be bad for the state's economy in the long term

ACF chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said the results of the poll overturned the myth that people across Australia were not willing to pay for climate solutions.

"People want climate action and many Australians want stronger climate targets for 2030," Ms O'Shanassy said.

"Across the country, a majority think the top climate solution is to replace gas and coal-fired power stations with renewable energy and battery storage.

"People across Australia want climate action because they know it's good for their health and will create future opportunities for young people."

Concern about climate change will be influential on how people vote on election day, Ms O'Shanassy said.

The poll found climate change was in the top three issues for one-in-three people (30pc) at the next federal election, alongside a combination of the following: cost of living, health and hospitals, managing the pandemic and the economy.

The survey echoes previous polling results from August last year, which found in every National-held electorate voters wanted the government "do more" or "do much more" to combat climate change, which they said was either "an important issue" or "the most important issue" at the upcoming election.

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