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Environmental Protection -- At What Price?

When surveys ask people to choose between the environment and the economy, answers change depending on how well the economy is doing – and many resist the choice even during prosperous times. When the economy was doing well in 2000, two-thirds of Americans said they favored protecting the environment even at the expense of economic growth. But during the sluggish times of 1992 and 2003, less than half of Americans favored giving priority to the environment.

When surveys ask people to choose between the environment and the economy, answers change depending on how well the economy is doing – and many resist the choice even during prosperous times. When the economy was doing well in 2000, two-thirds of Americans said they favored protecting the environment even at the expense of economic growth. But during the sluggish times of 1992 and 2003, less than half of Americans favored giving priority to the environment. And, while most Americans say there should be stricter laws to protect the environment, only a modest majority says “people should be willing to pay higher prices” to do so. Even during the boom of the 1990s, however, most Americans said it’s not necessary to choose between protecting the environment and economic growth.

  • A strong majority of Americans say there should be stricter laws to protect the environment, but only a modest majority says ...
  • During a lagging economy, fewer Americans say they favor protecting the environment at the risk of curbing economic growth
  • During the 1992 recession, Americans were divided on whether the environment should be protected even if ...
  • Most Americans say it's not necessary to choose between the environment and economic growth
Tags:  Economy, Environment