Essential Report
Support for government action on climate change
Q. To what extent would you support or oppose the following policy proposals if they were adopted by the Federal Government?
TOTAL: Support | Nov’20 | Jan’20 |
Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 80% | 68% |
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 75% | 64% |
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 81% | 71% |
Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 72% | 62% |
Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 87% | 81% |
New coal mines opening in Australia | 49% | – |
The fossil fuel industry receiving taxpayer funded subsidies | 42% | – |
- Support for government action on climate change has increased since earlier this year across the policy proposals put forward.
TOTAL: Support | TOTAL: Oppose | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 80% | 20% | 31% | 49% | 15% | 5% |
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 75% | 25% | 35% | 40% | 16% | 8% |
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 81% | 19% | 36% | 44% | 13% | 7% |
Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 72% | 28% | 30% | 42% | 21% | 7% |
Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 87% | 13% | 44% | 43% | 9% | 4% |
New coal mines opening in Australia | 49% | 51% | 15% | 34% | 27% | 24% |
The fossil fuel industry receiving taxpayer funded subsidies | 42% | 58% | 11% | 31% | 34% | 24% |
- 87% would support accelerating development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy and 80% would support requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction.
- 81% would support setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 and 75% would support setting this target for 2030.
- The most contentious issues are new coal mines opening in Australia (49% support vs 51% oppose) and the fossil fuel industry receiving taxpayer funded subsidies (42% support vs 58% oppose), where we see more of a divide between support and opposition compared to other policy proposals.
TOTAL: Support | Total | Gender | Age Group | Federal Voting Intention | ||||||||
Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | Labor | TOTAL: Coalition | Greens | TOTAL: Other | ||||
Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 80% | 75% | 85% | 76% | 83% | 80% | 82% | 79% | 88% | 77% | ||
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 75% | 69% | 81% | 74% | 81% | 72% | 82% | 67% | 93% | 74% | ||
Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 81% | 78% | 83% | 81% | 84% | 77% | 88% | 75% | 88% | 72% | ||
Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 72% | 71% | 73% | 71% | 78% | 67% | 74% | 65% | 87% | 75% | ||
Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 87% | 84% | 89% | 81% | 88% | 91% | 88% | 87% | 92% | 82% | ||
New coal mines opening in Australia | 49% | 56% | 42% | 53% | 54% | 41% | 43% | 57% | 23% | 52% | ||
The fossil fuel industry receiving taxpayer funded subsidies | 42% | 43% | 40% | 48% | 48% | 29% | 41% | 44% | 23% | 40% | ||
Base (n) | 1,034 | 528 | 506 | 329 | 320 | 385 | 322 | 430 | 88 | 107 | ||
- Support for government action on climate change is higher among women compared to men, especially regarding setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 (81% to 69%) and requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction (85% to 75%). Women are less likely than men to support the opening of new coal mines (49% to 56%).
- Coalition voters have the highest support for opening new coal mines (57% compared to 52% minor party voters, 43% Labor voters and 23% Greens voters).

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Views towards re-electing the federal Coalition government
- Party trust to handle issues
- Importance of Australia’s international reputation
- Scott Morrison’s impact on Australia’s international reputation
- Views towards Australia’s international reputation
Sign up for updates
Receive the Essential Report in your inbox.Essential Tags
2PP
Abbott
ALP
Anthony Albanese
Approval of opposition leader
Approval of Tony Abbott
asylum seekers
Australian economy
Bill Shorten
Carbon Tax
climate change
coronavirus
covid-19
economy
Education
Election
EMC
environment
ER
Essential Media
Essential Report
Federal Budget
Federal Government
federal politics
Gillard
Greens
Julia Gillard
kevin rudd
Labor
Labor Party
Liberal
Liberal Party
Liberals
mining
Nationals
Opposition leader
peter lewis
Polling
polls
Prime Minister
Scott Morrison
tony abbott
two party preferred
voting
Voting intention
Recent Comments
