As important as government is for research and innovation, politics can interfere with the scientific process. Climate change, for example, is a highly politicized issue in the United States and a topic of seemingly endless debate , though the vast majority of the scientific community agrees on the matter. Acceptance has increased over the past few years; 62 percent of self-identified Republicans now say they believe that climate change is occurring, according to the University of Texas Energy Poll, up from 47 percent in 2015. But while most scientists cite man-made emissions as a contributing factor, a growing percentage of U.S. residents surveyed — 20 percent, compared with 5 percent in 2016 — believe that climate change is "mostly due to natural forces." Political Science The rhetoric of the recent presidential campaign and the policies of the new administration may help to explain this trend.