Replication Data for: Decarbonization and supply chains: Public support for the Thacker Pass lithium mine

Decarbonization processes are being stymied by asymmetric distribution of costs and benefits across actors. The transition imposes asymmetric costs on local communities which host the decarbonization infrastructure or supply chain. The automobile industry seeks to shift toward electric vehicles, which require lithium-based rechargeable batteries. To meet the increasing lithium demand, in the US, there is a proposal for a lithium mine in Thacker Pass, Nevada, which faces strong opposition from native nations and environmental groups. To explore public support for the proposed lithium in the local communities, we test three frames that emphasize different benefits of the proposed mine: climate policy, national security, and local economic development on a representative sample of Nevada residents (n=1,368). Overall, we find that respondents living closer to the Thacker Pass mine tend to be more supportive of the mine (YIMBY) but exposure to existing Nevada mines does not affect public support. Among the treatment frames, only the national security frame increases public support. This suggests that to navigate local public opposition, China’s domination of the lithium market as a national security challenge should be highlighted as a merit of opening mines.