Update: The full results of this poll are now available. It shows that young Americans are keenly engaged in international issues and have favorable views of the United Nations. This cuts across party lines. A majority of Republicans believe the UN is supportive of the United States–a sentiment shared by the vast majority of Democrats surveyed.
The poll also finds that Majorities of 17-35 year olds have favorable views of the United Nations and among those who voted in the 2016 election, over half of Trump voters in this cohort have favorable views of the UN while 60% of Clinton voters have favorable views of the UN. Of the three institutions tested in the survey, the UN has by far the highest favorability ratings.
Overall, the survey is compelling evidence that young people in the United States care deeply about world affairs and believe the United States should work cooperatively through the United Nations to help solve some of our common global problems. This is a belief shared across party lines.
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What do younger Americans believe are the most important global issues for the US to help tackle?
A new poll released today offers some insights into the kinds of global issues that animate 17 to 35 year old Americans — so called “Generation Z” and Millennials.
Respondents were read a list of eleven different international concerns and were asked to select their first, second, and third priorities for the US on the global stage. Nearly four in ten ranked global environmental issues as critical global issues they would like policy makers to take on. Nearly as many also said human rights issues, like freedom of speech, religion and the press were top priorities. Conversely, conflicts in the middle east and refugee issues were farther from their minds.
The poll was conducted by the bi-partisan teams of Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research, on behalf of the Better World Campaign. It was released ahead of a major climate summit taking place in San Francisco, the Global Climate Action Summit, and confirms that younger Americans care deeply about global environmental issues. To that end, policy makers can count on this large and (mostly) voting-aged cohort to support global environmental causes. But what form does that support take? The survey also asks sheds some light on that question.
This is not an apathetic generation. It would appear that this younger cohort are prepared to donate their money,name and time to global causes they believe in.
Full data here.