American Unilateralism I Can Get Behind

Over at The Week, I have an article looking at some new polling published by the Yale University Project on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. Among the headline findings is that, contrary to conventional wisdom, Americans are eager for the federal government to combat climate change, even if developing world polluters like India and China do not commit to emissions reductions at the same time:

Perhaps the most crucial finding is that 62 percent of respondents are not content to have the U.S. wait on the sidelines unless and until other nations commit to emissions cuts. All but the most conservative of respondents said the U.S. should reduce its emissions “regardless of what other countries do.” Climate change skeptics have long argued that anything the U.S. does will not count for much if large polluters like India and China do not also take steps to curtail their carbon output. The Obama administration has argued that the U.S. has to exhibit leadership on emissions cuts (most recently through Environmental Protection Agency rules on existing and new power plants), and that the U.S.'s credibility at forthcoming climate talks in Paris rests on a demonstration of American commitment.

You can read the whole piece at The Week.

Tags: emissions, yale university project, china, climate change, the week, climate change communication, neil bhatiya, carbon