Is the environment or economy a bigger priority? A view from the US

Apr 19, 2022

With the collaboration of Statista.

Public opinion on the environment versus the economy has shifted over the years. Image: Unsplash/John O'Nolan

Martin Armstrong

Data Journalist, Statista

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Data shows how US attitudes on whether to prioritize the environment or the economy has changed over time.
The chart below shows how public opinion has shifted.

The battle in the minds of people in the U.S. between prioritizing the environment (even at the risk of curbing economic growth) or the economy (even if the environment suffers), has been a bit of a rollercoaster over the last few decades. As Gallup survey data shows, back in the 80's and 90's, the environment was the clear winner in this moral dilemma when looked at nationally. This however, started to change as the new millennium commenced.

Discover

What is the World Economic Forum doing about nature?

Biodiversity loss and climate change are occurring at unprecedented rates, threatening humanity’s very survival. Nature is in crisis, but there is hope. Investing in nature can not only increase our resilience to socioeconomic and environmental shocks, but it can help societies thrive.

There is strong recognition within the Forum that the future must be net-zero and nature-positive. The Nature Action Agenda initiative, within the Centre for Nature and Climate, is an inclusive, multistakeholder movement catalysing economic action to halt biodiversity loss by 2030.

The Nature Action Agenda is enabling business and policy action by:

Building a knowledge base to make a compelling economic and business case for safeguarding nature, showcasing solutions and bolstering research through the publication of the New Nature Economy Reports and impactful communications.

Catalysing leadership for nature-positive transitions through multi-stakeholder communities such as Champions for Nature that takes a leading role in shaping the net-zero, nature-positive agenda on the global stage.

Scaling up solutions in priority socio-economic systems through BiodiverCities by 2030, turning cities into engines of nature-positive development; Financing for Nature, unlocking financial resources through innovative mechanisms such as high-integrity Biodiversity Credits Market; and Sector Transitions to Nature Positive, accelerating sector-specific priority actions to reduce impacts and unlock opportunities.

Supporting an enabling environment by ensuring implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and mobilizing business voices calling for ambitious policy actions in collaboration with Business for Nature.

As our infographic illustrates, the struggle in the U.S. between the two really came to a head as the effects of the 2008 financial crisis started to bite. In March 2009, the economy had shifted to the forefront of most people's minds, with a majority (51 percent) choosing the economy as a priority, compared to 42 percent favoring the environment. Mother Earth did eventually start to gain control over American hearts and minds again between 2015 and 2019, but the Covid-19 pandemic appears to have shifted the balance once again in 2020 and 2021.

An infographic showing the share of U.S. adults that think the environment should be prioritized over the economy and vice versa

During the 2008 financial crisis the economy become to desired to be prioritized over the environment more Image: Statista/Gallup

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.