Anti-Keystone XL protesters march to the State Department on March 7. Sophia Bollag/Medill
WASHINGTON – Recent protests of the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline have highlighted the increasing importance of young voters to the conservation movement, a trend that might cause environmental issues to become more important in future elections.
Dozens of young people were arrested earlier this month outside the White House for protesting against the proposed pipeline to move oil from Canadian tar sands to Texas refineries. Later that week, protesters at another anti-Keystone rally outside the State Department, which is deciding whether to allow the pipeline to be built, listened to speeches about the importance of young people in convincing politicians to act on promises to mitigate climate change.
“I want to hold President (Barack) Obama accountable for his promises,” 21-year-old Michelle Stearn, a Georgetown student who was arrested at the White House demonstration, said during an interview at the State Department protest.
Source: Pew Research Center
A 2011 Pew Research study found “deep generational divides” over environmental issues, with the Millennial generation more likely to favor developing alternative, renewable sources of energy and more likely to believe in man-made global warming.
“I definitely think it’s a generational thing,” said Whit Jones, campaign director for the Energy Action Coalition, which focuses on mobilizing 18- to 35-year-olds to campaign for environmentalist causes. “There’s a new interest, a new level of engagement among Millennials in the conservation movement and environmental organizations.”
Environmental issues are not usually considered a top voting issue, said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
“In terms of priority, when we ask voters [what’s the] most important issue to your vote in 2014, the environment is nowhere near the top of the list,” Brown said. “It trails a variety of economic issues.”
However, with more Millennials becoming eligible to vote, environmental issues could become more important in some elections. This is especially possible if the economy improves significantly by the 2016 elections, said Peter Levine, director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, which studies trends in youth voting and engagement.
Protesters voice their opposition to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline outside the State Department on March 7. The debate over Keystone has given young environmentalists an opportunity to broadcast their opposition to policies that promote the use of fossil fuels. Sophia Bollag/Medill
“Really strongly environmentalist youth, not just ones who agree there should be environmental regulation but ones who are out as activists on the environment, they’re not very numerous, but they really can count in primary elections,” Levine said. “I can see one of the more Democratic presidential candidates trying to make a play for the environmental youth vote in 2016.”
The debate over the Keystone XL oil pipeline has given young environmentalists an opportunity to broadcast their opposition to policies that promote the use of fossil fuels. Keystone XL would allow the transport of more than 800,000 barrels of oil daily from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Texas, according to a report by the State Department. Environmental groups argue the pipeline would contribute to climate change by facilitating and prolonging America’s dependence on oil.
“Young people have been at the forefront of fighting Keystone XL,” Maura Cowley, executive director of the Energy Action Coalition, said during a speech she gave at the protest at the State Department. “We are saying no to Keystone XL, so damn it, let’s go. Let’s fight. Let’s win.”
The State Department released an analysis of the Keystone proposal in January, and will give a final recommendation to the president sometime in the next few months.
Environmental activists protest outside the State Department on March 7. The argue the Keystone pipeline would contribute to climate change by facilitating and prolonging America’s dependence on oil. Sophia Bollag/Medill
Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report, said environmental issues may become more important as more Millennials become eligible to vote, but not necessarily. He said their voting behavior will depend on the economic and political situation in the country in future election years. In 2014, however, he doesn’t expect the environment to become an issue with a lot of electoral weight.
“There are going to be some Democratic candidates who … will cite their opposition to the Keystone pipeline and their high scores from environmental groups, but most of those are not in swing districts,” Rothenberg said. “That’s not where the fight for the House or the Senate is really being fought.”
Jones, however, said he is optimistic that environmental issues like the debate over the Keystone pipeline will become more important to voters as more young people become eligible to vote.
“Young people feel very strongly about this issue and want to see leadership on it from the candidates,” Jones said. “We’re already a really significant portion of the voting population, but as that continues to grow, I think we’ll continue to see concern for the environment and demand for action grow as well.”
