Polls Reveal That Americans Want Federal Role In Disasters/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Most Americans believe the federal government should lead disaster preparedness and response, according to recent polls. However, fewer agree on the government’s role in fighting climate change. Confidence in the National Weather Service was high before the deadly Texas floods sparked questions about warnings and preparation.
Disaster Response Polling Quick Looks
- 2 in 10 Americans experienced major flooding recently
- 7 in 10 believe government should track weather, warn public
- 8 in 10 want federal aid for disaster recovery
- Only 56% support government action on climate change
- Big partisan divide on climate policy roles
- High trust in National Weather Service before Texas floods
- Lower confidence in FEMA’s disaster handling
- Northeast, South report higher flooding impacts
Deep Look
Americans Want Federal Leadership In Disaster Response, Polls Show — But Split On Climate Change Role
WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans want the federal government to play a central role in preparing for and responding to natural disasters, but there’s far less unity on whether it should take aggressive steps to fight climate change, according to recent AP-NORC polls.
The findings, gathered in February and June, came just before catastrophic flooding devastated Texas over the Fourth of July weekend, killing more than 100 people and leaving many more missing. That disaster has renewed debates over government preparedness and climate policy.
Personal Experience Shapes Views
Roughly 2 in 10 U.S. adults said they’d experienced major flooding in the past five years, the February survey found. Among those, about 7 in 10 blamed climate change as at least partly responsible for the flooding.
That’s similar to the share of Americans affected by other severe weather events—including hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, and winter storms—in recent years. Residents of the Northeast and South were especially likely to report personal impacts from major flooding.
Strong Support For Federal Role In Weather Warnings, Disaster Aid
About 7 in 10 Americans believe the federal government should play a major role in tracking weather systems and issuing warnings, the June AP-NORC survey found. That includes approximately 8 in 10 Democrats, compared with about two-thirds of Republicans.
An even broader majority—roughly 8 in 10 Americans—support federal assistance to communities hit by disasters and funding for rebuilding efforts.
However, the consensus splinters when it comes to preventing future disasters through climate change action.
Deep Divide On Climate Change Policy
Just 56% of U.S. adults think the federal government should take a major role in combating climate change to help prevent worsening extreme weather. The issue remains highly partisan: about 8 in 10 Democrats back significant government action, versus only about 3 in 10 Republicans.
Scientists widely agree that climate change has intensified weather extremes, increasing both the frequency and severity of events like floods, droughts, and storms.
Whether recent disasters like the Texas floods will shift public opinion on climate policy remains uncertain. Meteorologists emphasize that human-driven climate change can amplify the destructiveness of storms, but translating that scientific consensus into political will is another challenge.
Trust In Weather Agencies Was High — Before Texas Floods
Before the Texas disaster, Americans expressed relatively high trust in the National Weather Service and local weather forecasts. In the June poll, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults said they were “extremely” or “very” confident in those agencies, while another 4 in 10 were “somewhat” confident.
Confidence in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), however, was lower. Only around 2 in 10 U.S. adults said they were “extremely” or “very” confident in FEMA’s capabilities, with about 4 in 10 expressing “somewhat” confidence.
The Texas flooding has now sparked scrutiny over how quickly warnings were issued and how well local and federal authorities coordinated their response. While the National Weather Service and local officials have traded blame, public trust in government institutions could be tested as investigations unfold.
As the nation confronts increasingly severe natural disasters, the public’s divided views on climate change and disaster response highlight a critical question for policymakers: how to prepare for emergencies while tackling the root causes of extreme weather.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.