The following is from Gallup.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- 34%, down from 44% a year ago, say U.S. energy situation is very serious
- Declines seen among all key subgroups
- Americans prioritize environmental protection over energy production
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans show significantly less concern about the U.S. energy situation now than they did a year ago, with 34%, down from 44%, describing the situation as “very serious.”
The 2022 spike came amid sharply rising gas prices and was the highest percentage seeing the situation as very serious since 2011.
The record-high 58% viewing the energy situation as very serious was recorded in 2001, amid rolling blackouts in California.
In addition to the 34% of U.S. adults who say the energy situation is very serious, 51% describe it as “fairly serious,” and 14% say it is “not at all serious.”
The latter readings have increased by five and four percentage points, respectively, since last year.
The March 1-23 poll also found a six-point drop in the percentage of Americans who worry “a great deal” about the availability and affordability of energy, from 47% to 41%.
However, energy concern remains higher than it has been in any other year since 2012 (48%), which tied 2006 for the highest in the trend that dates to 2001.
Gallup first asked Americans for their assessments of the U.S. energy situation in the late 1970s during the energy crisis.
At that time, about four in 10 said the situation was very serious, before the proportion climbed to 47% in August 1979 amid gasoline shortages that summer.
When Gallup next asked the question, in 1990 — also during a period of rising gas prices — far fewer, 28%, described the situation as very serious, but that figure eventually rose to 40% during the Persian Gulf War.
A decade later, Americans’ concern was subdued, until the California energy crisis prompted a surge in concern. By 2002, after the crisis passed, a record-low 22% said the situation was very serious.(Continued…)
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