Understanding Climate Policy Support: Public Concern, Institutional Trust, and Political Ideology in the United States

Jeonghwa Yang, Hyunseok Hwang and Arnold Vedlitz

Social Science Quarterly, 2026, vol. 107, issue 2

Abstract: Introduction Effective climate governance requires public support across partisan and institutional divides. Although climate concern, institutional trust, and political ideology are known predictors of environmental attitudes, their combined effects remain insufficiently understood. This study examines how these factors interact to shape support for climate‐related policies. Methods Survey data from 734 residents of the Austin, Texas metropolitan area in 2023 were analyzed using a series of regression models. Independent variables included climate concern and trust in government, nonprofit, and private institutions, with political ideology tested as a moderator. Results Greater climate concern consistently predicted stronger support for climate policies. Institutional trust was also positively associated with policy support. When disaggregated, trust in nonprofit organizations and government institutions significantly increased support, with nonprofit trust showing the strongest association. Trust in private‐sector actors was not significantly related to policy attitudes. Political ideology moderated these relationships: Republicans expressed lower support when institutional trust was low, but the partisan gap narrowed as trust increased. Higher income was associated with lower policy support. Conclusion Climate concern functions as a broad driver of policy support, while institutional trust operates as a conditional mechanism shaping partisan differences. Strengthening institutional legitimacy may help bridge ideological divides in climate governance.

Date: 2026
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