60 percent of voters support transitioning away from oil, poll says

60 percent of voters support transitioning away from oil, poll says

An oil pump jack and wind turbines near Stanton, Texas, on Feb. 21, 2019. An oil pump jack and wind turbines near Stanton, Texas, on Feb. 21, 2019. Photo: BRANDON THIBODEAUX, STR / NYT Photo: BRANDON THIBODEAUX, STR / NYT Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close 60 percent of voters support transitioning away from oil, poll says 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

WASHINGTON — A new poll shows 60 percent of registered voters support transitioning from fossil fuels like oil, a policy supported by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The poll by Politico and Morning Consult showed that 55 percent of Republicans, 68 percent of independents and 83 percent of Democrats support such a move, which President Donald Trump has criticized as likely to wreck the U.S. economy.

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The issue came to a head in last week's presidential debate, when Trump asked Biden to explain his views on the the oil sector, then urging voters in oil and gas states like Texas and Pennsylvania to "remember" Biden's statement that he "would transition from the oil industry."

At a time of increasingly large and frequent wildfires across the western United States, regular hurricanes on the Gulf Coast and increased flooding along rivers throughout the midwest, scientists' long time warning of the consequences of climate change appear to be gaining ground among most Americans.

The poll found that 79 percent of Americans now support the expansion of renewable energy like wind turbines and solar panels, with only 5 percent opposed.

But whether that would translate into a climate bill of the sort Biden has advocated for is unclear, with only 34 percent of respondents calling the issue a "top priority" and 30 percent calling it a "lower priority." Almost 30 percent said it was not important or should not be done at all.