Political polarization on support for government spending on environmental protection in the USA, 1974–2012

• There was no political divergence on environmental concern in US public from 1974 to 1991.
• There was political polarization on environmental concern in US public since 1992.
• Polarization seems driven by increasing anti-environmentalism among conservative elites.
• These results are consistent with party sorting theory.

Since the early 1990s, the American conservative movement has become increasingly hostile toward environmental protection and Congressional Republicans have become increasingly anti-environmental in their voting records. Party sorting theory holds that such political polarization among elites will likely extend to the general public. Analyzing General Social Survey data from 1974 to 2012, we examine whether political polarization has occurred on support for government spending on environmental protection over this time period in the US general public. We find that there has been significant partisan and ideological polarization on support for environmental spending since 1992—consistent with the expectations of party sorting theory. This political polarization on environmental concern in the general public will likely endure save for political convergence on environmental concern among elites in the near future. Such polarization likely will inhibit the further development and implementation of environmental policy and the diffusion of environmentally friendly behaviors.