No matter where you are on the planet there is probably an election happening near you. In Canada there are many local elections about to occur, American midterms are around the corner, along with elections in Bulgaria, Spain and Victoria, Austalia.
In many of them, a sentiment being expressed is that it is politically unwise to talk about the climate.
The evidence suggests otherwise.
Climate policy expert Leah Stokes makes the case on her Substack, pointing to a recent study that surveyed about 3,500 Americans and asked them to choose between pairs of hypothetical candidates. Candidates “who made climate a top priority got a 4.5-point bump. Among voters open to supporting a Democrat, the bump grew to 7.2 points, and among committed Democrats it was 9.5 points.”
The study is American, and it was a survey experiment rather than a real election, so it can’t tell us how voters elsewhere would respond.
But even where climate isn’t voters’ top issue, it often sits behind the issues that are. Extreme weather that destroys crops raises the price of fruit and vegetables, which feeds the cost-of-living worries at the top of many voters’ lists. A well-informed candidate doesn’t need voters to name climate as their priority. They need to help voters see the connection.
Looking for what you can do to learn more in your next election?
- Ask candidates directly. Email them, message them, or go to a forum. Try: “How will you bring down household energy costs, and where does climate fit in?” Candidates notice what they hear repeatedly.
- Make the cost-of-living link. Ask how they’ll handle food prices, insurance, or energy bills, then follow up on how extreme weather affects them.
- Find out where candidates stand. Check voter guides, party platforms, or candidate scorecards, and share what you learn.
- Make sure you can vote. Check your registration and deadlines.
- Talk about it. Many people assume their neighbors don’t care about climate. Saying that you do can change that.
Wherever your election is, you don’t have to wait for a candidate to bring up climate. Ask how they’ll lower your costs and protect your community from extreme weather, and notice who has an answer.