The CLOSUP Energy & Environmental Policy Initiative

Summary

CLOSUP's Energy and Environmental Policy Initiative (EEPI), launched in the fall of 2012, is a program of coordinated activities designed to bring the latest academic knowledge to bear on issues of energy, environment, and climate policy. Through a combination of research projects, events, classroom activities, and publications, EEPI seeks to inform policy-relevant discussions among policymakers and other stakeholders with new research findings.

Research

Under the direction of professor Barry Rabe at CLOSUP, and professor Christopher Borick at Muhlenberg College, one core set of research activities in the EEPI is a series of ongoing surveys of American public opinion, conducted jointly by CLOSUP and the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion (MCIPO). Originally known as the National Survey of American Public Opinion on Climate Change, as of fall 2012 this program of research has been renamed the National Surveys on Energy and Environment (NSEE). NSEE will include twice-per-year surveys in the spring and fall focused on climate change and a wide range of related issues under the EEPI umbrella.

CLOSUP's Fracking Project, part of the wider Energy and Environmental Policy Initiative (EEPI), launched in the fall 2012 with a survey on fracking in Michigan and Pennsylvania, part of the National Surveys on Energy and Environment. The CLOSUP Fracking Project includes survey research, case studies, web-based information resources, policy events, and more, with the goal of informing policy debate around the issue of hyrdraulic fracturing for natural gas, more commonly known as "fracking."

For more information on the CLOSUP Energy & Environmental Policy Initiative, contact CLOSUP staff at 734-647-4091 or by email to closup@umich.edu.

Energy & Environmental Policy Initiative in the News: Recent Coverage

• The Equation, blog of the Union of Concerned Scientists: blog.ucsusa.org/americans-democrats-and-republicans-support-the-clean-power-plan-792, Jan 21, 2015
• ClimateWire: Poll shows a 'surprise,' broad public support for EPA carbon rule , Jan 20, 2015
• Interlochen Public Radio: Survey: Americans are ready to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Jan 20, 2015
• Michigan Radio: Survey: Americans are ready to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Jan 19, 2015
• Michigan Radio, Stateside with Cynthia Canty: Stateside for Monday, January 19, 2015, Jan 19, 2015
• Wisconsin Public Radio: University Of Michigan Poll Finds Little Support For Suing EPA Over Carbon Emissions, Jan 19, 2015
• Reading Eagle, Reading, PA: Fact Checker: Some red flags to polling, Jan 13, 2015
• The Washington Post: Here are some red flags to fishy polling, on carbon taxes in particular, Jan 13, 2015
• KCND Radio, 90.5 FM, Bismarck, ND: Inside Energy: Keystone XL, Jan 8, 2015
• KDPR Radio, 89.9 FM, Dickinson, ND: Inside Energy: Keystone XL, Jan 8, 2015

Energy & Environmental Policy Initiative Resources

• See the Energy & Environmental Policy Initiative home page
• See the National Surveys on Energy and Environment home page
• See the Fracking Project home page

Reports Public support for regulation of power plant emissions under the Clean Power Plan (January 2015) Public Opinion on Hydraulic Fracturing in the Province of Quebec: A Comparison with Michigan and Pennsylvania (October 2014) Opportunity, Risk, and Public Acceptability: The Question of Shale Gas Exploitation in Québec (October 2014) More reports Shale Governance in the European Union: Principles and Practice (October 2014) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: Public Perceptions of Shale Gas Extraction and Hydraulic Fracturing in New York and Pennsylvania (September 2014) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: Public Views on a Carbon Tax Depend on the Proposed Use of Revenues (July 2014) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: American Acceptance of Global Warming Retreats in Wake of Winter 2014 (June 2014) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: Public opinion on climate change and support for various policy instruments in Canada and the US: Findings from a comparative 2013 poll (June 2014) Environmental Policy in the Great Lakes Region: Current Issues and Public Opinion (April 2014) Shale Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing in the Great Lakes Region: Current Issues and Public Opinion (April 2014) Wind Energy Development in the Great Lakes Region: Current Issues and Public Opinion (April 2014) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: The Decline of Public Support for State Climate Change Policies: 2008-2013 (March 2014) Using Information Disclosure to Achieve Policy Goals: How Experience with the Toxics Release Inventory Can Inform Action on Natural Gas Fracturing (March 2014) State of the Debate: Natural Gas Fracking in New York's Marcellus Shale (January 2014) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: The Chilling Effect of Winter 2013 on American Acceptance of Global Warming (June 2013) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: Public Opinion on Fracking: Perspectives from Michigan and Pennsylvania (May 2013) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: Findings Report for Belief-Related Questions (March 2013) National Surveys on Energy and Environment: Public Opinion on Climate Policy Options (Dec. 2012) Working paper: Feasibility and Implications of the Michigan 2012 Proposal 3 for a 25% State Renewable Portfolio Standard (Oct. 2012) Fracking for Natural Gas: Public Opinion on State Policy Options (Nov. 2011) Climate Compared: Public Opinion on Climate Change in the United States and Canada (Feb. 2011) Survey of Michigan Residents on the Issue of Global Warming and Climate Policy Options: Key Findings Report (Feb. 2008)

Videos Barry Rabe: Taxes on fracking? Politics in the shale era (Nov. 2014) More videos Barry Rabe: Fewer Americans Think Global Warming Is Happening (Oct. 2014) Barry Rabe: Public opinion on fracking in Michigan & Pennsylvania (May 2013) Barry Rabe: Two-thirds of Americans now believe global warming is real (March 2013) Barry Rabe: A majority of Americans say the federal government should address climate change (Dec. 2012) Barry Rabe: Mixed opinions on fracking (April 2012) Chris Borick: Shifting opinions on climate change (April 2012)

More on the Energy & Environmental Policy Initiative

• EEPI activities in the news, media, & blogs