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The issues that arise at the intersection of energy and environmental concerns—we call them E2 issues—are more compelling today than at any time in recent memory. As a new presidential administrationtakes the reins in Washington, more than three-quarters of Americans feel that we are currently living through an “energy crisis.” People expect, but do not believe they have seen, effective leadership on energy and environmental issues from political leaders, government, and the energy industry. Two oft-discussed factors have exacerbated E2 concerns in recent years: rapidly rising energy costs and climate change. The result is a paradox. Research generally shows that people want low-cost energy but at the same time want better reliability and strongly favor environmental policies, especially with regard to carbon reduction, that are likely to drive energy prices still higher. Moreover, the public’s perceptions of energy and the issues it faces are generally much different from the utility’s. Did you know that, according to our recent surveys, Americans say that oil is what fuels on average more than a fifth of U.S. electricity generation? (It’s actually 2 percent, according to the Energy Information administration.) Or that they assume coal fires only another fifth?
The issues that arise at the intersection of energy and environmental concerns—we call them E2 issues—are more compelling today than at any time in recent memory. As a new presidential administrationtakes the reins in Washington, more than three-quarters of Americans feel that we are currently living through an “energy crisis.” People expect, but do not believe they have seen, effective leadership on energy and environmental issues from political leaders, government, and the energy industry. Two oft-discussed factors have exacerbated E2 concerns in recent years: rapidly rising energy costs and climate change. The result is a paradox.
Research generally shows that people want low-cost energy but at the same time want better reliability and strongly favor environmental policies, especially with regard to carbon reduction, that are likely to drive energy prices still higher.
Moreover, the public’s perceptions of energy and the issues it faces are generally much different from the utility’s. Did you know that, according to our recent surveys, Americans say that oil is what fuels on average more than a fifth of U.S. electricity generation? (It’s actually 2 percent, according to the Energy Information administration.) Or that they assume coal fires only another fifth?