Situational and Trans-Situational Correlates of Public Energy Literacy:A Western U.S. Case Study

Background: Recent push for ‘energy democracy’ necessitates a well-informed citizenry vis-à-vis energy policy, especially in the wake of ideologically charged and divergent views about the existence and severity of climate change among American citizens. Citizens’ involvement in energy policy processes in democratic countries makes it important to assess the depth and scope of energy policy awareness and knowledge among the public, as well as to consider the factors that promote or hinder how informed people are about energy policy issues.Objectives: This study aims at examining the levels of public informedness and knowledge of energy policy and analyzing their potential correlates in the western U.S. states of California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The study also analyzes the impact of public awareness and knowledge on public support for government funding for renewable energy technology research.Methods: Using survey data of 1804 randomly selected respondents from California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, the study employs ordinal logistic regression to trans-situational and situational models predicting self-assessed informedness and objective measure of knowledge about energy policy as well as public support for federal funding for renewable energy technology research.Results: The study found that variables related to socio-economic status (SES) are stronger predictors of public informedness and knowledge about energy policy than situational variables like values and efficacy, except for climate change beliefs that have a positive relationship with informedness and knowledge.Conclusion: The study also found that informedness and knowledge of energy policy are positively associated with support for government funding for renewable energy research

Situational and Trans-Situational Correlates of Public Energy Literacy:A Western U.S. Case Study

Background: Recent push for ‘energy democracy’ necessitates a well-informed citizenry vis-à-vis energy policy, especially in the wake of ideologically charged and divergent views about the existence and severity of climate change among American citizens. Citizens’ involvement in energy policy processes in democratic countries makes it important to assess the depth and scope of energy policy awareness and knowledge among the public, as well as to consider the factors that promote or hinder how informed people are about energy policy issues.Objectives: This study aims at examining the levels of public informedness and knowledge of energy policy and analyzing their potential correlates in the western U.S. states of California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The study also analyzes the impact of public awareness and knowledge on public support for government funding for renewable energy technology research.Methods: Using survey data of 1804 randomly selected respondents from California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, the study employs ordinal logistic regression to trans-situational and situational models predicting self-assessed informedness and objective measure of knowledge about energy policy as well as public support for federal funding for renewable energy technology research.Results: The study found that variables related to socio-economic status (SES) are stronger predictors of public informedness and knowledge about energy policy than situational variables like values and efficacy, except for climate change beliefs that have a positive relationship with informedness and knowledge.Conclusion: The study also found that informedness and knowledge of energy policy are positively associated with support for government funding for renewable energy research

Environmental Efficacy, Climate Change Beliefs, Ideology, and Public Water Policy Preferences

Water is an unpredictable and often overallocated resource in the American West, one that strains policy makers to come up with viable, and politically acceptable policies to mitigate water management concerns. While large federal reclamation projects once dominated western water management and provided ample water for large scale agricultural development as well as the urbanization of the West, water engineering alone is no longer sufficient or, in some cases, a politically acceptable policy option. As demand for water in the West increases with an ever-growing population, climate change is presenting a more challenging and potentially untenable, reality of even longer periods of drought and insufficient water quantity. The complexity of managing water resources under climate change conditions will require multifaceted and publicly acceptable strategies. This paper therefore examines water policy preferences of residents in four western states: Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho. Using a public survey conducted in these states in 2019, we examine preferences pertaining to infrastructural, education, incentives and regulation specifically examining levels of support for varying policies based on climate change and environmental efficacy beliefs as well as geography, demographic variables, and political ideology. Results show support for all water policies surveyed, with the exception of charging higher rates for water during the hottest part of summer. The most preferred water policies pertained to tax incentives. Some variation of support exists based on gender, education, environmental values, efficacy, state residency and belief in anthropogenic climate change

Addressing the future of water in Oregon : a look at the human and institutional factors shaping Oregon water management

Oregon is a state with great social and ecological diversity. Unfortunately however, Oregon's water-rich reputation is more rumor than reality. As with many Western states, Oregon struggles with water scarcity, especially during dry summer months. Recent efforts by the state to develop an integrated water resource strategy (IWRS) to manage present and future water demand in Oregon signifies the very real concern that water is no longer as abundant and available as it once was. With the predicted impacts of climate change and population growth, the already-strained water supply will unlikely sustain current water needs. Using a statewide mail survey of 1,537 Oregon residents (2010), a second survey of 390 water stakeholders (2011), and 12 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2010 and 2011 of stakeholders and elected officials this dissertation examined the role of sociodemographic attributes and environmental values pertaining to concern about Oregon’s water supply, climate change, water conservation behaviors, and prioritization of water use. Data analysis (regression analysis) revealed that to varying degrees gender, age, education, income, concern about water scarcity and belief in the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) proved reliable predicators of concern about that water quantity is a problem, that Oregonians will be personally affected by water scarcity, and personal water conservation behaviors. The dissertation further applies the Institutional and Analysis Development (IAD) framework to the current efforts by the state to create and IWRS. Recommendations for successful application of the IWRS are discussed, specifically use of adaptive governance in basin and sub-basin planning efforts

Development of an Integrated Water Resources Strategy: Assessing the Public’s Values, Knowledge, Perception of Risk, and Acceptability of Management Strategies.

Oregon is perceived as a water rich state; however, as the 2001 Klamath Basin crisis demonstrated, Oregon is not immune to water conflict and problems. Due to its seasonal fluctuations in water availability and geographical variation, Oregon can be considered a water scarce state, with the majority of surface water already fully, or in some places, over allocated during summer months. Climate change, population growth, and increased demand for water in Oregon are stressors compromising water quantity and quality for water users, ecosystem services, as well as limiting resources available for fish and wildlife. In 2009, the 75th Legislative Assembly passed HB 3369 authorizing the Oregon Water Resources Department (in conjunction with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Environmental Quality, and the Department of Agriculture) to develop a statewide, integrated water resources strategy, signifying the need for an assessment of water use and availability, as well as a projection for future water needs. In order to develop a statewide, integrated water resource plan, it is important to determine how Oregonians perceive water issues in Oregon. As such, as assessment of Oregonians’ risk perception, knowledge, values and adaptability to changing water conditions is imperative to plan for future water needs of people and ecosystems. Further, it is necessary to understand just how climate change will impact the amount, timing and availability of snowpack runoff that supplies the majority of water to the residents and wildlife in Oregon. We will therefore highlight results from two statewide surveys and interviews of Oregon residents, elected officials, and agency personnel in order to describe the socio-political perceptions of Oregonians.Presented at The Oregon Water Conference, May 24-25, 2011, Corvallis, OR

Oregon Water: Assessing Differences Between the Old and New Wests

The history of the American West is intimately tied to the movement and management of water. As the West developed, so too did the image of rural Westerners. As stressors like climate change and population growth strain existing water supplies, resource management benefits from understanding whether fundamental differences exist between the residents in the Old (rural) West and the New (urban) West. Using a survey conducted in the spring of 2010 of Oregon residents, this study explores whether residents in Oregon show distinct differences in environmental concern based on rural or urban residency. The results show that there are differences between groups on environmental beliefs, but likely attributed to factors other than rural and urban residency, and there are no significant differences between groups on water

Ideology and Value Determinants of Public Support for Energy Policies in the U.S.: A Focus on Western States

Energy policy is often a contentious issue in the U.S. in the areas of infrastructure, conservation, and price discrimination. From the siting of new pipelines, conservation regulations, and variable pricing based on times and usage, many policies have been met by intense opposition as well as support from a variety of sources. In this context, this study examines individual-level attributes (e.g., political ideology, environmental values, and demographic characteristics) that lead to support for or opposition to infrastructure, conservation, and price discrimination policies. The identification of demographic and value correlates of energy policy preferences is important for the successful development of energy policies. Data from 2019 random household surveys in the U.S. western states of California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington are used to examine the variation in views on a variety of energy policies. Multivariate analyses reveal that those with more liberal political ideology and people holding stronger pro-environmental values (as measured by the New Ecological Paradigm) were more likely to support conservation campaigns, energy efficiency, funding for renewable energy technology and price discrimination policies than those who held more conservative views. Several demographic variables also have a significant impact on support for or opposition to policies concerning infrastructure, conservation, and price discrimination. Younger people and people with higher levels of formal education are more likely to support voluntary energy conservation campaigns and increased funding for research into renewable energy technologies, and people with higher incomes are more supportive of requiring high-energy efficiency standards in new construction. Finally, state residency independently affected policy preferences with Idahoans’ views more consistent with political conservatives and those lower on the NEP than residents of the other three western states. These findings should be useful to policy makers as they work toward the development of energy policies

The Future of Food: Understanding Public Preferences for the Management of Agricultural Resources

The current U.S food system has managed to provide abundant food at a relatively low cost, even as the population increases. However, this unfettered growth is reaching maximum yields as demand for greater food production competes with other uses of agricultural lands. Extant ecological factors such as water scarcity are reducing food productivity, and competition for resources to produce food is becoming more apparent. This research examines public policy preferences of U.S. west coast citizens for the management of agricultural resources through the use of random household surveys. Results suggest overall support among respondents for food policies using regulatory, tax incentive, and voluntary outreach approaches. Multivariate analyses revealed that some social-demography, knowledge, environmental values, political ideology, and environmental efficacy variables were significant predictors of public opposition and support for food policies

Willingness to Support Environmental Actions and Policies: A Comparative Study

The urgency of climate change necessitates a transition to more sustainable practices and policies. Individuals have a significant role in reducing carbon emissions by modifying their personal behavior and/or supporting environmental policies. This research note reports the results of two surveys conducted in the Republic of Ireland (ROI)/Northern Ireland (NI) and in the U.S. (specifically in Oregon) that examined willingness to engage in sustainable lifestyle practices and policies. Results align with prior research finding that personal self-efficacy is a significant predictor of support for environmental policies and proenvironmental practices