Findings from LSU’s 2024 Louisiana Survey show that Louisiana residents support expanding fossil fuels and renewable energy resources.
In the third and final report from the survey, which polled 511 Louisiana residents over the phone and 540 others online from March 20 to April 3, respondents shared their views on energy, environment and coastal issues.
Here are some key takeaways:
- 75% of respondents support the expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling in coastal Louisiana, 72% support the expansion of solar panel farms and 59% support the expansion of wind turbine farms.
- 52% of respondents believe a shift to renewable energy would improve air and water quality, but fewer believe that shift would have positive impacts on job opportunities in the energy sector in their communities (30%), on the cost of cooling and heating homes (34%) and on prices of everyday purchases (20%). 19% believe a shift to renewable energy would have a positive impact on extreme weather events where they live.
- 55% of respondents believe the state government is doing too little to protect air quality and to protect the water quality of lakes, rivers and streams. 57% believe the state is doing the right amount to protect animals and their habitats, and 44% believe the state is doing too little to mitigate the effects of climate change.
- 66% of respondents believe climate change contributed to “unusual heat” in their communities in the past year, and 76% believe climate change played a role in severe weather events.
- 57% of respondents believe coastal land loss will cause a great deal of harm to people living in coastal areas of the state, but fewer believe that land loss will cause substantial harm to residents living across the state (32%), to the state’s economy (40%) or to the state’s infrastructure (41%).
