Two-thirds of likely Arizona voters, regardless of their political affiliation, acknowledge climate change is happening and most who think it is are "extremely concerned" about its environmental impact.

That's according to a new poll conducted by OH Predictive Insights, a research firm based in Phoenix, which found that, as the 2020 presidential election heats up, so are concerns about a warming Earth.

The firm surveyed 600 people by phone in Maricopa, Pima and other counties and found that, regardless of how old they were, what party they identified with or where they lived, most said climate change was happening. The belief was especially strong in some demographic groups: 87% of those ages 18 to 34 and 91% of Democrats responded "yes."

Among those 35 to 64 years old, 70 to 74% acknowledged climate change. The lowest number was among those age 65 and older, 58% of whom responded "yes."

Politics, on balance, didn't matter much either. About two thirds of independent voters acknowledged climate change and 51% of Republicans did.

And the overall number was almost unchanged whether in the two largest counties or in less-populated parts of the state.

Mike Noble, the survey firm's chief of research and managing partner, stressed that the poll is a snapshot and "something interesting" and topical to poll on. Noble said he wasn't surprised by the findings and felt the results were in line with popular political rhetoric.

"When you look back at our history, (these findings) shouldn't be a surprise," Noble said. "The existence of global warming has been hotly debated in the last decade but climate change deniers appear to be losing the battle in Arizona.”

He said the public debate about climate change, in the news and among political figures, likely had an impact on the numbers in the poll. A disparity in overall concern was evident between political parties.

"You're seeing that there with Democrats at 91% 'yes' and Republicans at 40% 'no,'" Noble said. "So, you see it's very indicative of this polarization that we're seeing and the information they're taking in."

The poll was conducted May 1 and 2 among people who identified as likely 2020 voters. The margin of error for the results is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

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Similar results from an earlier poll

The findings come almost two years after another survey, conducted for the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust in conjunction with The Arizona Republic, found 75% of those surveyed believed that global warming was occurring and 79% of those people believed it was primarily the result of human activity.

That poll also found overwhelming support for preserving the state's natural resources. Some 81% saw the state's environmental issues, like water and air quality, land and water use and wildlife protection, as "serious" or "very serious."

Among those surveyed in the 2017 poll, 73% of people thought Arizona was experiencing a "short-term" or "long-term" drought, and 53% thought it was a result of climate change.

The poll was conducted for the Trust and The Republic by Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Noble said he hopes he can follow up on the OHPI poll because there is little work being done on the issue, which is why the group did this in the first place. He said he would want to find out why people think climate change is happening and whether it's a symptom of human development or part of a natural cycle.

Regardless of what those reasons are, most people surveyed in the group's poll were relatively concerned about climate change's environmental impacts, the poll found. Those who acknowledged it were asked to rate their level of concern on a scale between one, not concerned at all, and seven, extremely concerned.

Fifty percent were extremely concerned and 81% had a level of concern of four or higher, regardless of age, gender or region. Democrats led that specific range with 94% labeling their concern four or higher, with Independents at 86% and Republicans with 59%.

Although the results are just a snapshot and the group's starting point for more work, Noble said this overwhelming concern from most Arizonans backs up the thought that climate change is and will continue to be on the minds of likely voters. This might not be the unifying issue, but it is a strong niche issue that resonates with most, especially centrists.

The discussion around that issue, Noble said, could affect who wins state offices and even the presidency, especially in Arizona, where most tend to view themselves as independent more than Republican.

Reach out to the reporter at andrew.nicla@gannett.com or at (602) 444-3821. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewNicla.

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Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. For more stories visit environment.azcentral.com or follow OurGrandAZ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.