10. Elections and parties in environmental politics

摘要: We first assess the mass public’s views on the environment. We show that the majority of the mass public supports the enactment of policies to address climate change and other environmental problems. But the environment is rarely the most important issue for voters. Moreover, the public’s support for environmental policies masks deep divisions between the Democratic and Republican coalitions. Pressure from the parties’ bases of donors, activists, and primary voters often incentivizes politicians to embrace extreme positions. Next, we examine the effect of the environment in elections. The environment usually does not have a large impact in general elections. But it can occasionally matter, especially when one of the parties supports a salient, unpopular bill in Congress. The environment can also sometimes matter in primary elections. Beyond elections, environmental issues often influence the parties’ platform …