Californians put high priority on environment, poll shows

Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Le�n and Gov. Jerry Brown shake hands following a signing ceremony at Treasure Island on Tuesday, July 25, 2017, in San Francisco, Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 398, a bill extending California's cap-and-trade system. He signed it on the same spot where former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the state's landmark 2006 climate change law, AB 32, which led to the creation of the cap-and-trade system. less Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Le�n and Gov. Jerry Brown shake hands following a signing ceremony at Treasure Island on Tuesday, July 25, 2017, in San Francisco, Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 398, ... more Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Californians put high priority on environment, poll shows 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

As California emerges as a force on climate change and a counterweight to President Donald Trump, residents of the green-minded state widely support environmental actions taken by leaders in Sacramento, according to a survey released Wednesday.

Fifty-one percent of California adults approve of the way Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature are handling environmental issues, the Public Policy Institute of California survey shows, even as state climate policies threaten to raise gasoline and electricity prices.

According to the survey, approval for Brown’s handling of the environment is up 16 points since he took office in 2011, while the state Senate and Assembly have seen a 20-point spike in their approval over the same period. Just 28 percent of people frown on Brown’s environmental performance, while only 33 percent disapprove of the Legislature’s record.

The high marks come as California takes aggressive action to fight global warming. The state has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, one of the world’s most ambitious goals and one that won’t come without sacrifice.

Utilities have been ordered to generate 50 percent of their power from clean energy sources by 2030, a level that could raise electricity prices, at least in the short term. And just this week, Brown’s cap-and-trade program was extended to 2030, requiring emitters of greenhouse gases, such as oil refineries, to buy permits to pollute, which will likely result in higher gas and transportation costs.

“This (survey) indicates that Californians believe global warming is happening and it’s a threat to the future of California and they want the state to take action,” said Mark Baldassare, president and chief executive of the Public Policy Institute of California.

Backing for the state’s environmental advances, the survey shows, is strongest among Democrats and independents, while Republicans are generally less enthusiastic.

Baldassare noted that overall support remains high even as most Californians recognize that climate action will hit them in the wallet. For example, 54 percent of survey respondents anticipate higher gas prices.

“This really distinguishes them from people who may say, ‘Yeah, that’s a good idea but I’m not willing to pay for it,’” he said.

The survey shows that Californians overwhelmingly oppose Trump’s environmental agenda. Just 22 percent of adults approve of the way he’s handled the issue, compared with the president’s overall approval rating in the state of 25 percent.

Just 22 percent of adults back the president’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord, the landmark agreement among some 175 nations to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Support for offshore oil drilling is also low, with just 25 percent of adults in favor — the lowest the survey has recorded in its 17 years. The opposition comes as Trump seeks to open more federal waters, including the coast of California, to energy exploration.

The Public Policy Institute of California is a nonpartisan research group that regularly gauges public opinion. The survey on the environment polled 1,708 adults between July 9 and 18. The margin of error was 3.4 percentage points.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander