Affordable Cars, Reliable Gas More Important to Voters Than Reducing Emissions

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  • About half (52%) of voters say keeping the price of cars low enough for families to afford them is more important than reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change.
    • This opinion has trended down in the last few years. In April 2022, 60% of the voters said keeping car prices low was more important, 57% said the same in April 2024, and only 50% last March 2025.
    • Still, just 38% say reducing greenhouse gas emissions is more important than the price of cars.
    • More Republicans (69%) than Democrats (38%) say keeping the price of cars low is more important than reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
    • Half (51%) of Democrats say reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change is more important.
    • A majority (56%) of voters who talk politics nearly daily say reducing greenhouse gas emissions is more important than keeping the price of cars low enough for families to afford them.
  • In a similar vein, about 6 in 10 (59%) of voters say reducing the cost and improving the reliability of electricity and gas for American families is more important than reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
    • This is the same number as last March, but down 5 points from April 2024.
    • Just 31% say reducing greenhouse gas emissions is still more important.
    • Most Republicans (72%) and a plurality (45%) of Democrats say reducing the cost of electricity and gas and improving its reliability.
  • Half (50%) of voters say new technology developed by private companies is more likely to solve problems associated with climate change than new government regulations.
    • Far less (28%) say that government regulations are more likely to solve climate change problems.
    • Twenty-two percent (22%) are Not Sure.
    • By a 62% to 22% margin, Republicans say new technology rather than regulations will solve climate change problems, and 15% are Not Sure.
    • Democrats are more split, with 42% saying new technology and 35% saying government regulations will do more to solve climate change.

This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, January 26, 2026. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.