Poster #82 - Political Ideology, Perception Environmental Risk and Attitudes toward Government Spending for Environmental Protection

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between risk perception, political ideology and attitudes towards government spending on environmental protection. Drawing on theories of political ideology and risk perception, the paper examines whether individual’s political view (liberal, moderate and conservative) and their perceived risks of environmental degradation, specifically on the economy, health, and ecosystems, influence their attitudes toward environmental funding in the United States.

The analysis is based on data collected through an omnibus survey conducted via Qualtrix and CloudResearch between March and April 2025, with an initial 487 observations. The paper employs multinomial logistic regression models to examine how political ideology and perceived environmental risks shape attitudes towards environmental spending. This modeling approach allows for the analysis of the categorical outcomes without assuming proportional odds across outcome levels. To further investigate these dynamics, the study includes interaction terms between political ideology and environmental risk perception, along with additional covariates such as environmental knowledge, support for environmental taxes and regulations, and the key demographic factors.

The findings indicate that both political ideology and perceived environmental risk are strong and significant predictors of attitudes towards environmental spending. Specifically, conservatives are generally less supportive of such spending, while liberals tend to favor greater government funding for environmental protection. Although higher levels of perceived environmental risk are associated with greater support for environmental funding overall, the interaction between political ideology and risk perception is not statistically significant. That is, heightened risk perception does not necessarily translate into increased support for environmental spending, particularly among conservatives. The results suggest that, despite similar perceptions of environmental risk, liberals and conservatives diverge sharply in their policy preferences. Additionally, support for environmental regulation emerges as a strong and consistent predictor of favorable attitudes toward environmental spending. In contrast, demographic variables yield mixed results and do not provide robust evidence of a significant relationship with attitudes toward environmental spending.

The study highlights the need to understand how political ideology intersects with environmental policy, as this relationship continues to shape public opinion and influence policy outcomes. It underscores that environmental protection is a collective responsibility that must transcend political divides to achieve effective governance and environmental stewardship

Author

• Fustel Mwamba Ngalula, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
  Presenting Author