Both sides of the political spectrum recognize a need to reduce American dependence on carbon-based energy sources, but how the nation does so remains a divisive issue, a new study from Indiana University researchers has found.
The results are based on a survey of nearly 2,500 U.S. residents who were asked about their perceptions of the current mix of energy sources in the United States and their hopes for that mix in 2050.
The study -- led by O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs professor Shahzeen Attari and co-authored with O'Neill research associate Joe Kantenbacher and Ph.D. student Deidra Miniard -- appeared March 16 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
"When people are asked about what they hoped the absolute best possible energy mix would be in 2050, conservatives, moderates, and liberals all have a shared hope for a decarbonized future mix in which we primarily rely on renewable energy sources and far less on fossil fuels," Attari said. "But participants differ in their level of support for the policies to get there."
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