Australia’s wildfires may hold a lesson or two for a smoky US
Australia's devastating 2019-2020 wildfires changed the country's politics on climate, resulting in the 2022 election delivering the greenest parliament on record. However, natural disasters don't necessarily shift voter behavior towards climate-focused policies, but rather punish whichever party is in power. The effects of disasters can also be limited and perverse. The impact of the current wildfires in the northeastern US on public opinion is uncertain, as extreme weather only has a weak effect on people's views of climate change.
Australia's devastating 2019-2020 wildfires changed the country's politics on climate, resulting in the 2022 election delivering the greenest parliament on record. However, natural disasters don't necessarily shift voter behavior towards climate-focused policies, but rather punish whichever party is in power. The effects of disasters can also be limited and perverse. The impact of the current wildfires in the northeastern US on public opinion is uncertain, as extreme weather only has a weak effect on people's views of climate change.