Should State and Local Governments Address Climate Change? 10 Years of Climate Federalism in the NSEE

March 2018

In this chapter, we examine whether American public opinion about the proper role for various governmental levels to address climate change has shifted over the last decade. Using time-series data, we consider which levels of government Americans believe bear the responsibility to address climate change, and how urgently they believe that action is needed. We also report on whether they believe their state should act to address carbon emissions even if the federal government— or neighboring states—do not, and whether they support policies that allow states to set stricter carbon standards than those set at the federal level.